Sorry for the delay with this chapter, I know I left you with a bit of a cliffhanger last time. I had a really hard time with this chapter and the perfectionist in me wouldn't let me post it. I am still not crazy about it, but I figured I've worked on it long enough, so here you go!

Emma followed the floating jacket down the hall, her boats treading lightly. She peered around each corner cautiously, but the ice fortress was empty. The magnitude of the situation only just barely overshadowed the feeling that she must look ridiculous following an enchanted coat. Her heart was pounding in her throat with each step. Was the locator spell working? What if the Queen had taken Killian somewhere else? What if she was already too late… She shook her head to clear it. She couldn't think like that, she had to focus.

She shivered as the walls creaked loudly around her. She wasn't positive, as the portal had deposited her inside the castle, but it sounded like there was quite the storm outside. The temperature certainly seemed to be dropping. Although maybe it just felt that way because heat rose, and Emma was going deeper and deeper into the bowels of this ice structure. She shifted the backpack on her shoulders as she descended yet another staircase.

With each step she took, Emma felt the weight of the cursed hat, nestled safely in the backpack. She knew it was their ticket home, well Killian's at least, but just carrying it made her feel uncomfortable. She squirmed as her thoughts drifted to what exactly she'd had to do to procure it. And what awaited her when, if, she ever got back to Storybrooke. She tried to push the worry back down, before it consumed her. Once she got Killian out of here, she would worry about everything else. And only then.

Aside from the metaphorical weight of the hat, the pack wasn't terribly heavy, containing mostly winter camping equipment in case they missed their first portal window. Which was, she looked at her watch, the digital screen shining brightly, in twenty-seven minutes. She picked up the pace, hoping the bewitched jacket would sense her urgency. She and Regina had planned two backup times to try and open the portal, but she had no intention on drawing this out any longer than was absolutely necessary. She wished she had brought more supplies, but that would have meant explaining to David and Mary Margret that there was a very real chance that, for her, this was a one way trip. So instead, she'd hugged them and Henry extra tightly and said nothing. She would make due. She was such a coward.

The jacket had led to her a long, dark, windowless hallway. Emma's breath was barely visible in the cold air. She felt like she had to be close to reaching her destination. Close to Killian. Sure enough, the coat hovered for a minute before a large door made entirely of ice, of course, and then it dropped to the floor. Emma scooped it up and pushed her shoulder against the door. It was locked. Of course it was. She pulled off her thick mittens and placed her hands against the door. Closing her eyes she mustered her concentration and called upon her powers. Come on, unlock, open, move, she thought frantically. She stumbled forward slightly. She bit her bottom lip when she realized that the whole door had disappeared into thin air.

"Whoops," Emma said, flexing her fingers. She knew she still didn't technically have her powers a hundred percent under control, but her proximity to Killian seemed to be making them more squirrelly than usual. She squinted and tried to will her eyes to adjust to the dim light as she continued into the room. She held up the jacket and shook it lightly, but it seemed to be out of juice. What did that mean? Her thoughts ran wild. Was she too deep underground? Had Ingrid detected her and moved Hook to another realm? Was she too late?

Breathing heavily, she reached into her pack she pulled out a small flashlight. She gave the jacket once last prod, but it remained motionless. With a sigh she stuffed the coat into the space the flashlight had occupied, and forced the zippers on the backpack closed roughly. The pack struggled against her, already full to the brim, but eventually complied. She knew she should just leave the coat behind, but it was her last connection to Killian and she just couldn't bring herself to do it. Armed with the light she continued to walk hesitantly into the room, cautiously shining the light to take in her surroundings.

Her breath caught when she saw him. He was so still, the beam of her flashlight passed over him once before she realized what she was looking at. He hung limply from the ceiling, his head resting against his chest. His clothes reduced to dirty rags. His body was so bruised and bloody he was almost unrecognizable. The ice below him was covered in blood. Oh my god, Emma thought, her heart skipping a beat. So much blood. How could anyone lose that much blood and still be alive?

"Killian!" Emma yelled. Her earlier caution abandoned instantly. She dropped her pack and ran to him in a daze. Not watching where she was going she bumped her hip against something painfully. She glanced at the offending object. Her mouth dropped in horror, when she saw the plethora of sharp objects resting on the smooth, stone table. All covered in blood. Killian's blood. She pushed away from it roughly, tasting bile in her throat.

"Killian, please," She said as she reached him, her voice so needy it sounded unfamiliar to her ears. She desperately felt for a pulse, her hands shaking. The flashlight lay forgotten on the floor, its beam illuminating the room. "I'm here Killian. Please, come back to me."

"Your majesty," Killian said, his voice barely a whisper. Emma felt her knees buckle in relief when he spoke. "Here I thought you'd forgotten about me."

"Never," Emma said. She grabbed his face between her hands and rested her forehead against his. His stubble had grown out and was closer to being a full beard than scruff. She raked her fingers through it and tipped his face up to meet her eyes. "I couldn't forget you even if I wanted to." She peered into his eyes and saw a spark of recognition, of love. Her stomach twisted when she saw it fade, as quickly as it had appeared. She felt weak as his eyes meet hers dully, free of the adoration she had been missing so desperately.

"Your mask is becoming more convincing each day," He said, hanging limply. "I almost believed for a moment there."

"Killian," Emma said, her voice rough. "It's me. It's Emma."

"How I wish that were true," He said, pulling away and closing his eyes. His head rolled onto his chest, the exertion of holding it up proving to be too great. "Despite your best efforts, I've kept my promise. Thought of the real Swan everyday."

She pursed her lips tightly and fought the surge of sorrow and anger boiling in her chest. She would kill the Snow Queen for this. If it was the last thing she did. The flashlight flickered at her feet and she balled her hands into fists at her side. She forced herself to take a deep, ragged breath. She had to keep her emotions in check. Had to keep her powers under control. She closed her eyes and collected her thoughts, painfully aware of the time constraints they were under.

"It's okay," She said after a moment. She tenderly reached her hands up to the shackles at his wrists. She swallowed thickly. "Let's just get you out of here and we'll deal with the rest later." Closing her eyes, she summoned the power she knew was within in her. This time she focused her breathing and thoughts as Regina had instructed her to. She didn't want Killian to disappear to wherever that door went. She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard the satisfying click of the chains unlocking. Killian fell against her heavily, his legs unsteady. Surprised, Emma was almost knocked over, but she recovered from her stumble quickly and caught him, holding him tightly. "I've got you," She whispered against his neck.

"Swan," He whispered, his brows knit together questioningly. The magic had been undeniably Emma's, but he was unwilling to be bested by the bloody Queen again. Still leaning against her for support, he pulled back slightly and studied her face, intently. Bloody hell, it looked like her. "Gods, is it truly you?" She nodded quickly, tears brimming behind her eyes.

"It's me," Emma said kissing his check roughly. She felt like she was floating. Finally having him within her grasp after all this time, seeing he was alive, it was almost too much.

"I want it to be you," He said burying his face in her shoulder, his breath hot against her neck. "I've never wanted anything so badly in my life." He clung to her tightly. Normally, the intensity of his embrace would have been suffocating, but now, after everything they'd been through the last couple weeks, it wasn't even close to enough. She ran her fingers through his hair, matted with blood and tried to pull him closer. He winced slightly against the pressure, but didn't pull away. Emma lessened her hold on him only barely. She didn't want to cause him pain, but she couldn't let him go.

"It's me, Killian. I'm here. I found you," She repeated against his skin. She could feel the relief settling over his body, the tension leaving him as her words washed over him. "I missed you, so much, and, I, I was so scared, " She hesitated for a moment as she considered the depths of her emotion. She felt hot tears on her cheeks. "I thought I lost you, and—"

"I'm afraid it'll take more than that for you to be rid of me, love," He said, pulling away to look at her, his trademark smirk ghosting on his face.

"Don't joke, I was being seri—"

Her words died on her lips as Killian captured them with his own. He kissed her slowly, his arms pulling her impossibly closer, their heated breath mingling. After a moment he slid his tongue across her bottom lip, tantalizingly slowly. She pulled away reluctantly without deepening the kiss. She wanted, needed, more but this was not the time. Who knew when the Snow Queen would return?

"As was I," He said simply. Their chests rising and falling erratically. His eyes met hers, shining with emotion. She felt her heart swell with relief, when she saw the recognition she was desperate for starring back at her. There was so much she wanted to say to him, but she was running out of time. She glanced at the timer on her watch.

Twelve minutes.

"Am I keeping you from something, Swan?" He asked cocking his eyebrow. He tried to say it with his usual swagger, but he couldn't hide the wheeze in his voice from Emma. She felt his hand making small circles on her back. She smiled in spite of herself. Hook had to be literally the only man who could crack jokes minutes after being rescued after a week of horrific torture.

"Just checking on our ride home," She said simply, ignoring his confused glance. She would fill him in on everything, Gold, the hat, the fact that she fucking loved him, as soon as they were safe. She brushed her lips against his softly. "Can you walk?"

"Aye," He said, stumbling slightly. Emma frowned at his obvious lie and reached for her pack. She pulled out the men's clothing David had packed for them. Her heart sank, when she realized it was too large for Hook now. He had dropped a lot of weight since she'd last seen him.

"Here, this will keep you warm while we wait," She said pulling off his tattered shirt. He hissed as the shirt stuck to his skin, caked in his dried blood. "Sorry," She said tenderly. Her chest tightened as she saw the extent of the wounds covering his chest and back. She rested her palm over his heart, and felt its beat faintly under his clammy skin.

"Is it," She hesitated, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. "Do you still have—"

"My heart?" He asked raising his eyebrow. "Alas it's not been in my possession for sometime now." Emma closed her eyes as the breath was knocked out of her. It was like Graham all over again. Once again the Saviour had been too late and someone else was in pain because of her.

"I'll get it back, Killian," Emma promised, looking fiercely into his eyes, her decision made. She would send him back through the earliest portal, alone. She would find and kill the Snow Queen and then retrieve her pirate's heart. She would make him whole again.

"Emma, you already have it," He smiled, covering her hand with his own. "Well, I suppose technically, it resides in my chest," His smile grew as he saw her eyes widen. "But it's been in your possession, since the first bloody moment I met you." Emma narrowed her eyes, a retort on her tongue about how this wasn't a time for jokes. He kissed the corner of her mouth softly, his lips lingering. Emma felt her eyelids flutter. The act, coupled with his admission, was charged with meaning and it robbed her of all coherent thought.

"Killian—" She started, her hand still resting heavily against his heart.

"We can't dally here long, love," He said, as he pulled away and started to struggle into a thermal undershirt. Emma snapped out of her daze and helped him with the undershirt and then a thick sweater. His movements were languid and rough, even with her assistance. The pain robbing him of his usual grace. "The bloody wrench never gives me much of a rest. She's bound to be back any second."

"Okay," Emma said, tugging him into a thick coat. Her mind racing as she contemplated their next move. "Let's go then." She pulled a mitten over his hand and reached for her pack.

"Wait," He said, gesturing to his other arm. "My hook? I should like to have it back." Emma nodded and picked up the flashlight. She cast her eyes around the room. She clenched her jaw when she saw it sitting in a pile with the other instruments. Its tip bloody like everything else on the stone table. She wiped it clean on her pants and moved to put it in the pack.

"No, here, please," He said as he reached for his brace. His didn't meet Emma's eyes, clearly uncomfortable with her seeing him in such a vulnerable state.

"You sure?" Emma asked, biting the inside of her cheek. His wrist was bruised and caked with blood. Most likely from the chains that had held him. It looked painful enough without a heavy brace overtop of the wound.

"Aye, I would prefer to not be unarmed if I cross paths with the bloody Queen again," He said as he began strapping it firmly to his arm, his other hand shaking with the exertion. Emma covered his fingers with her own and helped him. She tried to ignore the grunts of pain he let out as she tightened each strap.

She hoisted the pack, which was now considerably lighter, onto her back. She pulled Killian's good arm over her shoulders and silently offered her support. She knew he had to be in considerable pain when he didn't protest and leaned against her heavily. She glanced at her watch.

Nine minutes.

She tired to move him along as quickly as she could without hurting him. Her thoughts were racing, trying to think of somewhere they could bunker down. Just for a couple minutes. And then they would be fine. They would be home. Her stomach flipped when she realized she'd been picturing going home, together. She tightened her arm's hold around Killian's waist gently and shook her head to clear it as they headed up the first flight of stairs.

"Hook, no," a voice called from behind them, causing them to stop in their tracks. "It's a trap!" Emma's brow furrowed. The voice sounded eerily familiar, yet she couldn't place it. She felt Hook tense and pull away from her, his face frozen in horror. She followed his gaze and saw, herself. The Snow Queen stood behind the other Emma, a dagger pointed at her throat. Emma swallowed thickly, unnerved. It was like she was looking in a mirror. Except she, the other her, wasn't doing so great. Her cuts and bruises rivalled Killian's and her blonde hair was matted with blood and grime.

"Swan," Hook said, his voice faltering.

"Killian," Emma said, grabbing his arm roughly. "Look at me," When he didn't immediately respond, she stepped in front of him, blocking his view of her doppelgänger. "Killian, please." Her heart twisted when she saw the turmoil on his face.

"Killian," other Emma called, her voice breathy. "Don't fall for it! I thought you loved me. Please, don't let me die. Not like this." Hook tensed and shut his eyes, his breathing laboured.

"KIllian," Emma said, clutching him. "It's not real. She's not real. We have to run." She eyed the Snow Queen uneasily. Why wasn't she attacking them? Her icy smile ghosting on her lips as she waited to see their next move.

"I want you to be real," Hook croaked, reaching for Emma's hand. "So desperately." She felt her chest tighten when he lifted his head to met her eyes and she saw his features riddled in torment. Suddenly, his eyes widened. "Swan," he yelled as he tried to push her out of the way. Dulled by pain, his reflexes were too slow to stop other Emma from tackling her to the ground.

The air was knocked out of Emma as she hit the ice, hard. She struggled as Doppel-Emma's icy fingers circled tightly around her throat. Gasping for air, she struck her attacker and pried at her hands, but other Emma never flinched or relented. She just smiled icily. Clearly, her injuries weren't slowing her down. It was like she wasn't human. She probably wasn't, Emma thought, her mind surprisingly clear. Emma's own green eyes glinted back at her and she was suddenly filled with an overwhelming sense of dread. Her vision began to tunnel as her lungs screamed for oxygen.

Killian sprang into action, calling upon energy he didn't know he had left. He lunged towards the two Emma's and roughly plunged his hook into the doppelgänger's neck. Its mouth fell open in a soundless scream, blood spurting from the wound. It collapsed, blood spilling onto Emma and the ground beside her. The Snow Queen smiled icily as Killian dropped to his knees. Emma pushed the lifeless body off of her, gasping frantically for air. Killian felt his chest constrict painfully, unable to look away from the lifeless siren of Emma. He knew it wasn't his Swan, but still seeing her so still, her blood slowly trickling onto the ice, still caused him so much pain. It hurt him so much more than the Queen ever had.

"Like I said pirate," The Snow Queen said, suddenly beside Killian. "There's many ways to turn a heart cold." She reached into his chest and he felt her fingers wrap around his heart. He gasped and closed his eyes against the pain.

"Killian," Emma yelled, her voice scratchy. She pulled herself to her feet and hurled a blast of magic towards the Queen, throwing her across the room. Emma breathed a sigh of relief as the Queen clenched her empty fist angrily. Emma moved to stand between Killian and Ingrid, clutching his arm roughly. "Come on, Killian," She said, as she pulled him to his feet, never taking her eyes of the Queen. "Get up." She rested her palm against his chest and smiled when she felt Killian's heart beat steadily, still firmly in his chest.

"Gods, Emma," He said as he took in all the blood she was covered in. His hand trailed frantically over her skin, looking for the source so he could apply pressure.

"It's not mine," Emma said, coughing. "The blood isn't mine." His hand stopped it's journey and settled protectively against her waist, pulling their bodies close together.

"This has been rather droll," The Queen said. "But I'm growing weary of these games. You have something I need and I will have it." She waved her hand and a blast of razor sharp icicles shot towards them. Emma raised her hands reflexively and her magic diverted the ice. It hurled instead into the ice wall behind them. The ice wall shattered with a deafening crash.

Icy wind hurled snow and sleet into the room, clouding their vision. The force and temperature of the icy onslaught took Emma's breath away. It felt like the air she was inhaling was freezing, painfully, inside her lungs. The Snow Queen threw her arm in front of her face protectively. Emma smirked in spite of herself. Apparently the Queen did feel the cold.

"Emma," Killian yelled into her ear over the howling wind. "I have a plan love, but you have to trust me." Emma felt his whole body tense, presumably as he recalled the last time he had asked her to trust him. And she had let him down.

She rested her hand against his cheek and ran her thumb along his bottom lip. "I trust you Killian." She called back, meeting his eye, willing his brilliant blue eyes to read her like he always did. To see her sincerity. "I always have."

"Well alright then love," He smiled widely, his eyes crinkling. He pulled her towards the hole in the wall and Emma clenched her jaw. Please tell me he isn't thinking of doing what I think he's is, she thought in a brief moment of panic. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and his boyish grin confirmed her suspicions. She shook her head. She'd meant what she said. She trusted him. And that meant she was along for the ride, including this idiotic plan. She gritted her teeth and clung to him tightly as they leapt into the air. And they fell. Together. Their bodies intertwined.

Knowing she had ventured deep into the bottom of the ice fortress, Emma felt disorientated as she and Killian tumbled through the air. The icy wind blew against her exposed skin and she nuzzled closer to Killian, her arms wrapped around his neck, his good arm still tightly around her waist. The plunged into the white abyss, until she felt a rough jerk and their fall came to a sudden stop. Turning her head away from his shoulder she saw his hook firmly latched into the ice wall. He was smiling widely at her. She cast her eyes above to where they'd fallen and saw the ice castle high above them, built into the face of the cliff. They swayed slightly, hanging from his hook, as the storm continued to assault them.

"Now what?" She asked, hesitantly eyeing the very distant ground beneath their dangling feet.

"I'm open to suggestions," Killian said as he pulled her more tightly against him.

"This was your plan?" Emma asked dumbfounded. She felt laughter vibrate through Killian's chest and he bumped his nose against hers.

"Not one of my finest, to be sure," He conceded. "But I seem to remember we were pressed for time, love."

A smile erupted on Emma's face before she could stop it. She bit her bottom lip and tilted her head to meet his eyes. Clear and impossibly blue, they twinkled mischievously. He leaned closer and kissed the tip of her nose, frozen from the cold. Objectively, she knew this had to be one of the top ten, hell top five, worst situations she'd ever been in, but she was finding it hard to dwell on that with Killian's body pressed against her. Her thoughts were interrupted as a thundering crack rang above them. She felt her body go weak as an avalanche of snow and ice barrelled towards them.

"Killian—" She called, twisting in his grasp. She awkwardly reached for the zippers on the backpack. If she could get the hat out, she could open the portal as they fell. Killian's arm tightened around her in response to her movement and he threw her against the wall of the cliff. His body pinning her against it, trying to protect her from the oncoming danger. "No, Killian," She said, her voice muffled against his shoulder. Before she could explain, the wall of snow and ice bore down on them, Killian's already aching body bearing the brunt of the force.

The avalanche blocked out all light, leaving them in a suffocating darkness. Emma wrapped her arms firmly around his shoulders. She closed her eyes and tired to use her magic to offer them some sort of protection. Just as she felt the telltale warmth of her gift at the tips of her fingers, a large chuck of ice caught Killian firmly on the shoulder. She heard the sickening pop of Killian's shoulder being dislocated and he screamed against the pain.

"Emma," He whispered as his eyes closed, his body unable to tolerate the pain. He hung lumpy from his hook and Emma clutched him tightly. She scrunched her eyes closed, screaming internally. This was not a time for magical stage fright. Another large onslaught of snow struck them, knocking Killian's hook free. They tumbled through the air, battered by the force of the avalanche. Emma clung to Killian, frantically willing her magic to do something. Anything. Something hard struck her head and she was enveloped by darkness.

Thanks again for the lovely reviews! I always welcome feedback :)