The air was crisp outside, the breeze ruffling the hem of her jacket. Emma, the Dark One, had been standing on the pier watching the ship and debating what she should do. Finally, with a sigh, she poofed herself into his cabin. He was laying on the small bed as if asleep, but she knew better. Even under a sleeping curse he looked troubled. The dark circles under his eyes betrayed the strain that the last weeks of her actions have put him under. His hair was a long, disheveled mess and his scruff was now more like a full grown beard. A frown marred his features as if to protest this forced break from trying to save her. A lock of hair was falling over his closed eyelid and Emma's fingers itched with the need to smooth it back.
A war had begun within her body. The Dark One feared the light that her loved ones would bring into her life and rightfully so. Before the moment that this sleeping curse took hold of Killian, the dark was winning. But when he had sacrificed himself to save her parents from this fate, Emma, the part of her that loved so fiercely, desperately fought to claw her way to the surface. It had been at that moment that she found the courage to overpower the darkness and it had been too late. Now, she struggled to keep the darkness on a leash.
"You could save him" Henry said.
Emma's back stiffened for an instant in surprise before turning to look at him. She shook her head sadly, "It's never worked, kid."
Henry nodded, "That's because you would never let it."
"Come again?" She is shocked and truth be told a little angry, the darkness instantly making her feel accused of not being enough.
"It's not your fault, you were scared. The first time you didn't have your memories. The other times, you were struggling against the Dark One magic. It made you believe it wouldn't work." Henry said with conviction.
"I just don't think it was meant to be" Emma said resolutely. She turned back to look at Killian. Henry came up to her side.
"Do you love him?" he asked.
Emma thought long and hard. She cleared her mind of the poisonous thoughts the Dark One was trying to sabotage her with and she thought of Killian.
After a long pause, she whispered, "With my entire being."
Henry nodded and grasped her hand. He looked into her eyes, "You can do this, Mom. I know you can. He would not give up on you so you can't give up on him."
Emma opened and closed her mouth. She felt shocked as a single tear escaped and made a course down her cheek. For the first time in a long while, she felt something more than anger. Henry squeezed her hand.
"I love you and I believe in you" he said and left the room.
Emma watched him go and then turned back to the sleeping figure. She gave in to the urge to push that hair back and was stunned at how cold Killian felt. She thought about him and only him. She took a deep breath and then leaned down and kiss him.
The resulting shock wave nearly knocked her back but Killian's arm came up to hold her to him. Tears were coursing down Emma's face as she pulled back to look at him. He reached up to wipe them away.
"I knew you could do it, Swan" he smiled at Emma. She leaned her forehead down and was surprised when her hair fell down around them.
Emma leaned back and looked at herself. The stark, black clothes she had been wearing were now replaced with her normal jeans and sweater combo. Her hair was loose. She searched her mind and found that the Dark One was no longer talking to her. She laughed at the freedom she felt.
Killian sat up and Emma fell into his arms with relief. He chuckled and nuzzled his cheek against her head.
"You saved me" Emma said.
Killian shook his head, "You saved yourself, love."
She smiled, "I love you, Killian."
"I love you" Killian said and kissed her, for the first time in what seemed liked forever not desperately hoping to break a curse but looking forward to a new beginning.