iA/N: Hello loves! Thank you so much for all the support and the love! I am almost done with this fic (sad day) but I have really enjoyed writing it. So, enjoy and as always I don't have any rights to OUAT or Swan Princess- BS

Chapter 9

Robin dove down to follow the path Emma took out of the tower. He looked left and right, looking for the alligators lurking. Robin was a fast swimmer, and knew he needed to get to Killian and Emma quickly. As Robin was swimming, he noticed a longbow with gold inlay on the bottom of the lake. That wasn't any bow, that was Killian's bow. Robin dove down further to grab the bow, and a golden glint caught his eye. Buried in the sand was a golden arrow, with The Dark One's name on it. Legend says that If you use the arrow to stab The Dark One, you will turn to the Dark One yourself. But if the Dark One is shot with the arrow, his magic disappears forever.

Robin couldn't believe it. He had to get to Killian, his and Emma's lives depended on it. Robin put the arrow in his pocket, grabbed Killian's bow and broke the surface. He swam to the edge and slung Killins bow across his chest. He made his way to the forest where his horse was still tied, bow and quiver still attached. Robin removed his bow and replaced it with Killian's. He was just about to grab his quiver when a branch snapped behind him. Robin spun around to see Baelfire, and a blade pointing at his chest.

"Going somewhere?" Baelfire sneered

Robin just held his head high and stared the coward down.

"What, too good to speak to me? You'll never make it in time you know. He will be dead long before you get there and then the swan will be mine!"

Oh, good he didn't see Emma escape, Robin thought to himself. Baelfire brought the sword closer to Robin.

"So sorry you won't be able to save your friend," Baelfire mused, "But you know it's just business."

"Aye." Robin responded coldly.

Baelfire pulled his arm back to swing the sword at Robin aiming for his chest. Before he could make contact, Robin pulled a bow from his quiver tied to the side of the horse and released it, burying in deep into Baelfire's chest. Baelfire collapsed without a word, his body limp.

"So sorry mate." Robin said quietly. He slung his bow over his shoulder, mounted his horse and headed for the kingdom as fast as he could go.

Emma, I hope you made it, Robin thought. Please, just buy me a little time….

The Dark One walked toward the Prince and Milah.

"Hello Dearie." He sneered.

"You!" Killian growled. "How dare you come here! Where is Emma?"

"Oh dearie, Emma is mine."

Anger flashed behind Killian's eyes, "You have no power here! I foiled you, Dark One! This is not Emma. She may look like her, oh yes. But she lacks her heart, her spirit and her soul." Killian moved his sword further on Milah's throat. "So Dark One, you will tell me where Emma is or this wench of yours will die."

Emma was full of emotion. Even now, her prince could tell the difference. Even now, he was true to her. She continued to watch and listen from her perch above.

Rumple let out a sinister giggle. "Very well dearie." Rumple walked over to the woman in red and thrust his hand in her chest, removing a glowing red orb. A swirl of red smoke circled the woman, revealing a brunette with blue eyes. Killian stepped back, panic rising in his blood. Was he next? Where was Emma?

The Dark One started to squeeze the heart, "Rumple. Please." Milah gasped.

"No dearie," He sneered. "You failed me. This is your punishment."

Without another word, Rumpelstiltskin crushed the heart in his hand, dust pouring out. Milah let out a shriek of despair and dropped to the floor, heaped in a pile. With a giggle and a grin, the dark one skipped away from Milah's corpse and turned on the prince.

"Well Dearie." He began, circling the prince like his prey. "We meet at last."

Killian clutched his sword and held it to the Dark Ones throat, "Aye." the Guards started to circle in, "And you will tell me where Emma is. Then you will leave this kingdom and never return."

The Dark one giggled. "And of I don't?"

Killian closed the space between them, the blade of this sword scaling the Dark Ones throat, "Then I will cut your heart out."

"Carefully Dearie," Rumple growled. " Without me, you don't know how to break the spell."

Killian let a sly grin cross his face, "A vow of everlasting love of course."

The Dark Ones eyes flashed in anger. "How did you know that?"

"A little birdy told me." Killian said with a smile.

Rumple took a step back, "No matter dearie. You won't get to live to tell about it."

"Even demons can be killed. I will find a way!" The prince shouted, raising his sword higher.

"Maybe the next lifetime dearie." The Dark One raised his hands to Killian.

NO! Emma thought in a panic.

As the magic shot from the Dark Ones hands, a white swan swooped down in from of Killian right before the magic got his heart, absorbing the magic blast. As the swan hit the ground of the ballroom, the form changed from that of a swan to a young woman in a cream-colored dress and a blue cloak, blonde curls pouring out from under the hood. The crowd of the ballroom gasped.

Killian stumbled back, clutching his chest. He glanced over at the form on the floor, his eyes not believing what his eyes were seeing. Emma, on the floor not moving.

"NO!" Killian screamed

"No need to shout." Rumple sneered with a giggle

Killian ran to Emma's side, gently turning her over. The crowd gasped when everyone saw the face of the lost princess. He lifted her up and cradled in his arms. "Emma, come on." He whispered gently, rocking her back and forth. "You can't leave me darling, I just got you back." Killian stroked her face gently. "Emma, come back to me."

She wasn't responding. "Oh Emma, what have I done to you? Forgive me, love. Please Forgive me." Killian was finding it difficult to reign in his emotions.

Emma coughed and looked around at all the faces. She felt two strong arms around her, and She knew where she was. She turned over in the arms that held her and looked at the face of the man she loved.

"Killian?" Emma whispered softly.

"Yes, Emma." Killian whispered, tears threatening to spill out now. "I'm here love."

"Killian, I feel so weak. I think I'm…" Emma coughed again, clinging onto her Prince's arms for dear life.

"No. You'll live Emma." Killian said in a cracked whisper. "Why did you do that? Why would you save me?"

"I couldn't let one more person I love die. I would have done it again."

Killian let out a sob, "Oh my princess. I was going to make that vow, to you and only you."

"I know. Thank you for knowing that it wasn't me."

"I've known you my whole life Emma, I'm sorry that I even thought for a second that it was. Forgive me love."

"There's nothing to forgive." Emma could feel her strength fading quickly now. She brought her hand up to his cheek and lost herself in the eyes of blue, one last time. "I love you, Killian."

Emma's hand slid off of his face as her strength faded and darkness claimed her, becoming a limp weight in Killian's arms. "Emma?" He whispered. No response. Killian started to panic more now, "No, no, no! Emma?" He shook her ever so gently. Still no response. "Emma!?" He shook her a little harder. Nothing.

Killian let out a scream of anguish that echoed through the entire palace. He picked her up and carried her to a chaise lounge on the side of the ballroom. Killian laid her down gently, moving a strand of hair out of her face. He was going to fix this, and he was going to fix this now. Killian stood and had a more determined look on his face than Ariel had ever seen.

Killian drew his sword once again to Rumpelstiltskin's throat.

"Do not let her die." he said in a low, warning tone.

"Is that a threat, Your highness?" Rumple sneered.

"Do not dare let her die!" Killian shoved the sword deeper in The Dark One's throat

"Ooh, it is a threat!" Rumple responded in a mocking tone.

"You are the only one with the power, Now do it!"

At that moment, Rumpelstiltskin sent Killian flying backwards. "Only if you can defeat me! Try your luck, Dearie!"

Magic started to swirl around The Dark One and out of the red smoke appeared a beast. This beast had the head and a body of a wolf covered in fur as black as night. The beast had a wingspan of thirty feet across and was made of sheer scales of green, almost like a crocodile with a single claw and the ends of the arms. The feet were those of hawks, claws that could grab and slice through flesh. The beast stood on its hind legs and let out an ear-piercing roar.

"Bloody hell," Killian gasped. "The Great Animal!" The creature let out it's Roar again.

"Mother!" Killian yelled, "Get to safety!"

Mass chaos broke out in the ballroom. People were fleeing out every exit as the soldiers were trying to keep others from trampling one another. The queen was whisked away my Marco almost immediately so she would be out of danger. Killian got up quickly and grabbed his sword. He spotted the beast, with its claws going after Emma.

"No!" Killian screamed and got between them. Killian swung his sword at the beast until he got it back far enough that Emma was out of danger. The beast knocked Killian down, causing his sword to fly out of his hand. He had a hold of the creature by the throat in attempt to keep it away from his face.

"Get away from me you bloody bastard!" Killian grabbed a handful of broken tiles and threw them in the eyes of the beast. The beast growled and shook its head, trying to get the tile out of his eyes. Killian got to his feet and swung his sword at the beast, taking a chunk out of his head.

Killian held is blade true to the beast's throat. "I won't let her die!" He declared. The beast huffed at him and flew up, up and out one of the large windows. Killian circled the ballroom, carefully searching out the windows. The beast was nowhere to be seen. He had his back to the large window when the beast came crashing back in. He pinned Killian down with his claws, breaking the prince's sword in half with his teeth. Killian took the broken hilt of his sword and smashed the creature in the face with it. He then used it to smash it into his claw, causing the beast to release him. The beast swooped back down and grabbed Killian, flying with him to the top of the ballroom and releasing him. The beast swooped down again and grabbed the prince again, flinging him into a nearby pillar. Killian grabbed the top of the pillar and pulled himself up to the ledge. He broke of a wing of one of the sculptures and started fighting the beast with it. Killian struck the beast claw and ducked from being grabbed again. Killian sliced a piece of drapery and used it to swing down in front of the door.

The beast was circling above, ready to make his final kill.

At that moment, Killian's bow slid from the door behind him between his feet.

"What the devil?" Killian questioned as he reached down and grabbed his bow. From behind him he heard two heal stomps and couldn't stop the grin spreading across his face. Robin was behind him.

The creature started to dive. Just like this was a well-rehearsed dance, Killian counted to three and spun on his heel at the opportune moment, catching the arrow from Robin and firing it at the creature. He got him in the shoulder, and as the beast hit the ground it returned to the human form of Rumpelstiltskin.

As Killian and Robin descended the stairs to where Rumple was lying, Robing tossed Killian an arrow from his quiver. The men stood on either side of Rumple, bows at the ready.

"You fools!" Rumple spit out, "No mere arrows can kill me."

"Aye, but it'll hurt like hell." Robin retorted as he fired an arrow into the thigh of the Dark One. Robin grabbed another arrow and held it at the ready as The Dark One squealed in pain.

"Now," Killian growled, "You will save her. So, do it."

"Or what, Dearie? You can't kill me."

"Actually," Robin interrupted, making his way over to Killian. "Reach in my front pocket mate, I'll keep my arrow on him."

Killian looked at his best friend utterly confused but did as he asked. Lowering his bow, he reached into the front pocket of Robin's tunic and pulled out a golden arrow with a name scrolled across it.

"Bloody hell," Killian whispered. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Aye." Robin nodded.

"Where did you get that?" Rumple growled.

"At the bottom of your blasted lake. Horrible hiding spot I might add."

Killian was doing his best to stifle a laugh. He owned Robin for this one.

"No matter, Baelfire will be here any moment and you will be dead." Rumple responded in glee.

"Ha!" Robin barked out a laugh. "That would be a little bit difficult for him to do with an arrow buried in his chest."

Killian looked at his best friend in shock. Scratch that, He owes Robin twice now.

"You killed my son? You will suffer!" Rumple bellowed.

"Like you have made Killian suffer?" Robin shouted back. "You took his love from him and led him to believe She was dead. Baelfire got in my way of getting back to my family so I did what I had to do."

"Well what are you waiting for Your Highness," Rumple sneered at Killian. "Stab me with the arrow and be done with it."

"I wouldn't do that mate," Robin warned. "You stab him, you become the Dark One. If you shoot him though, with no flesh touching the arrow it destroys him and his magic forever."

Killian drew back the golden arrow, aimed directly at Rumple's heart. "Save Emma, and I'll end your suffering."

"Why would I now? I have nothing left to live for. Your vow was the only way. Too bad you blew that opportunity Dearie," Rumple let out a maniacal laugh.

Killian's anger flowed through him and he started to shake. "Save her!"

"No."

Without another word, Killian released the arrow, burying it deep in the heart of the dark one. A blue light radiated from the arrow and a explosion of magic swirled around Rumpelstiltskin, knocking Robin and Killian back. After a few moments it was gone, and all was quiet again.

"Bloody Hell." Robin and Killian said in unison.

"Thank you mate." Killian clasped Robin on the shoulder.

Robin nodded and looked around the ballroom, "This place looks like a war zone."

"Aye that it does." A wave of panic shot through Killian, "Emma, she's not where I left her."

"That's because I moved her upstairs." Ariel said from behind him making him jump.

"Mother." Killian pulled his mother into his embrace, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine darling." Ariel said. "Come, She's this way."

The trio ascended the stairs, to Emma's old room, where she lay on her bed. Killian looked at her, and his heart sank. She was so pale, in rags and still she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

"Go on mate." Robin nudged Killian.

"What if there is nothing I can do? She's gone." Killian looked at his mother helpless.

"Killian listen to me," Ariel took her son's hand. "I am sorry that I doubted you before. But You look at her like your father used to look at me. True love is rare, but how do you know if you don't try?"

Killian nodded at his mother. He entered the room where Emma was and sat on the edge of the bed. He moved a strand of hair out of her eyes and picked her up, cradling her in his arms. Robin and Ariel watched from the doorway quietly.

"Forgive me Emma, forgive me." Killian whispered, "I only wanted to break the spell and to prove my love you." tears started to fall from Killian's eyes. "I love your kindness, and your courage. I always have darling." He was sobbing harder now.

Robin put his arm around the Queen comfortingly. She hated the face her son was hurting and there was nothing she could do about it.

Killian cried and rocked Emma in his arms a little while longer, he wasn't ready to let her go. He laid her down gently, kneeling next to the bed and cupping her face.

"I love you Emma." Killian leaned forward and softly kissed her lips.

A pulse of magic flowed through him into her and burst through the room. Killian leaned back watching and waiting. Nothing was happening.

At that moment Emma took a breath and her eyes flew open.

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