Author's Note: Spoilers if you haven't seen the sneak peeks for 5x07. A super quick bit before the episode comes out in America. We all know something bad is going to happen right?

...

The atmosphere in the diner was one of tense but cautious excitement. The sword sat innocently on the counter, shining in the fading sunlight, Emma and Merlin had just arrived and announced that they had the spark of first fire. Everything seemed to finally be in place.

"Where's Hook?" Emma asked frowning at her assembled family.

"I'm here love." She spins and finds him leaning on the doorway. Her confusion at how she'd missed seeing him as they came in is brushed away in her eagerness to get to him, to touch him and have him touch her.

"I had this terrible feeling," she gasps in relief as she moves to him. It must have been his sudden gifting of his ring throwing her off, his anxiety transferring to her while they were apart. Instead of pulling her into his arms like she's expecting he backs away slightly and glances at Regina.

"What's wrong?" She asks.

"Sorry love, I just took a bit of damage," he says wincing as he motions to his chest and arm.

"Let me see," she demands moving closer again.

"No no, no need. It's just some bruising," he says waving her away. "I'll be stiff for a while but it's not worth you using your magic." She can't stop her frown at his odd behaviour and he tries to reassure her. "I'm fine love really. You're so close to being free, let's not risk anything at this point."

"You shouldn't have given it to me," she says quietly. The ring that's kept him alive and he gives it to her before going on a raid? Why had she taken it? Anything could have happened. His eyebrows bunch together for a moment but then he smiles and reaches out, rubbing a warm thumb gently over her cheek.

"I don't regret anything," he whispers.

"Emma." Merlin's voice sounds so loud, why is everyone else so quiet? "We have a lot to prepare, we should make a start now." Emma nods, gives Killian one more watery smile in the hopes of a kiss that he doesn't give her and then follows the sorcerer out of the door.

As soon as she's gone Hook falls heavily into one of the chairs. "I said love too many times. She couldn't have bought it," he groans rubbing his face. Regina waves her hand and the glamour dissolves to reveal Robin under the pirate's face.

"She didn't say anything," David points out.

"That may be worse," Regina says frowning through the windows at the pair outside.

"We can't do this. We have to tell her." Snow replies, bouncing on the spot in anxiety.

"And risk her doing something... dark? She'll be free of the Dark One tomorrow morning, we will tell her then," Regina says firmly, reminding them all of the plan they had agreed on.

"What if...," Snow starts.

"Arthur won't do anything to him. He knows about his relationship with Emma, about his relationship with all of us. Hook's more valuable alive," David says anticipating her question.

"If he's still alive," Robin adds miserably.

"If," David admits.

"She's never going to forgive us," Snow moans. No one could think of anything to say to that. She was right.

...

Author's Note: Thanks for reading. Six episodes in and we haven't seen this terrible thing they did when they failed her in Camelot? This sort of scenario makes sense to me. I hope the tense wasn't too odd, it sort of helped emphasise everyone watching Emma. Even though it was tiny, please leave a review?