Disclaimer: The hiatus is over and I still don't own OUAT, and probably never will.

LiteraryRomantic asked: "Also is Belle working as a secretary for Regina new? I haven't seen season 1 in a while, and only remember the library happening. I honestly don't remember her being really introduced until season 2, but I'm probably off there. "

Yeah, that's a new thing. Belle was really only in Season 1 in flashbacks and the mental ward at the hospital. She didn't really get out and about until after the curse broke, and she helped Gold with his shop and then she had the library.

Nouqueret asked: "Wow, if after this Killian dosen't remember he is hook well he never will! But what will that do to him?"

We'll just have to see...

"I still think that Killian is going to eat the turn over. But where is Regina going to get the appel? Rumpel prehaps?"

Read to find out.

"I'm still voting for Killian to go with Emma to the EF. But why...prehaps Killian jumps first and Emma goes after him to save him?...could I be right?"

I dunno, maybe, maybe not. ;)

flame81 asked: "Is your Killian going to be absent from most of S2? I mean that was probably not planned by A&E seeing as Colin broke his leg, so are you going to follow the on-screen canon or what you would imagine S2 would have been with Colin there in the 2nd half?"

Thankfully, my Killian doesn't ski. Killian is the protagonist of the story, next to Emma of course. The whole point is for him to be in episodes and plots that he was never a part of to begin with, so it will be easy to put him in the second half of season 2. Especially since season 2 will have a huge divergence from canon.

kse93 asked: "And what's going on with Regina and Gold?"

Regina is trying to have something over him so that she can make him get rid of Emma, but Gold isn't having any of that, which we'll see in this chapter.

Angel Bells asked: "So are we gonna actually get a sex scene, or is it just gonna be the aftermath?"

See the original ending for Chapter 23 was supposed to be a full on sex scene, but it was 7 in the morning and I hadn't gotten any sleep yet, so I was kind of perfectly fine with ending the chapter there.

The other thing is...well, I read smut, a lot. So I know how it all goes, but I've never written smut before. I've tried and I've turned into a giggling, embarrassed mess. I can read smut with a pokerface that'd clear out Vegas, but actually writing it is hard especially since I don't want it to be like every other smut scene out there...which is hard considering there's not much you can do with smut but make it cliche.

Someday I may be able to give you guys smut, I'll just have to practice writing it, and it's not like Emma and Killian won't stop having sex (definitely not a one time thing). But for now, you guys get the aftermath.

Over 400 Reviews! That's so amazing! You guys are awesome, thank you guys for all of the positive reviews!

This is the last chapter that voting for MM will be open. I know not everyone has voted, so if you want to still, here's your last chance.

Chapter 24: Point of No Return

Killian held Emma close as they laid together on the floor of the lighthouse. They were still catching their breaths.

Emma's head was resting on his shoulder, her hair tickling his chin, hand splayed against his chest.

It was amazing having Emma in his arms, finally having her so completely, and giving himself to her in return. It felt as though she had always belonged here, with him, like he had truly found his other half, that missing piece of his heart as...cheesy as that may sound.

Emma snuggled further into him, shivering from the cold.

Instinctively, Killian grabbed his leather jacket and draped it over her, earning a gentle smile from her that sent his heart fluttering.

His memories were coming in little bursts. Neverland and Pan mostly. Three hundred years worth of memories slithering in and out of his mind, spurning his thoughts and emotions into turmoil, pulling him deep into his mind.

Lips brushed gently along his jaw, bringing him back to the present, and naturally Killian dipped his head so that he could kiss her. It was a lazy and tender kiss that had Killian relaxing into her.

"Are you okay?" Emma asked, softly, pulling away.

He looked into her green eyes, filled with tenderness and affection. Something in her eyes seemed akin to love, but Killian was almost afraid to believe that. He knew that his Enchanted Forest persona wasn't a man that could be loved, even if Emma didn't know who he was.

Her hand came up to stroke his cheek, and Killian closed his eyes leaning into her touch.

Her touch calmed him, the turmoil within him settling down as though his very soul was soothed by her presence. He sighed contentedly as her hand moved from his cheek to his hair, her nails scratching gently at his scalp. His arm tightened around her, pulling her closer, so that she was half lying on his chest.

They stayed like that, wrapped in each other's arms for some time, before Emma pulled away and sat up.

Killian made a noise of protest.

Emma chuckled. "We can't stay here."

"Sure we can."

"No, we can't." She shook her head with a smile. "I have to get home to Henry."

Killian sighed in disappointment, but it was belied by his smile. "All right, lass."

They dressed in silence, stealing glances, goofy smiles on their faces.

Despite her smile, Emma felt troubled. She felt like a giddy teenager who had just lost her virginity. She hadn't felt like that since Neal. It scared her that Killian made her feel like she was sixteen again; she hated that feeling. That girl died with Neal's betrayal, and she would stay gone. Maybe dating Killian was a bad idea; she couldn't go back to who she was.

"Stop thinking like that." Killian whispered, arms coming around her middle, pulling her back against to her chest.

"Thinking like what?"

Killian nipped at her ear lobe, brushing his nose against her jawline. "Regretting this."

Emma sighed. "I don't regret this." She turned around in his arms, cupping his cheeks. "I don't." Kissing him soundly to reassure him, Emma let her walls down a little more, knowing that he needed to know she was willing to be more open with him.

He relaxed into the kiss, and Emma could feel his relief. Slowly, he pulled away. "Emma, love, if it's not us, then what's wrong?"

The concern and gentleness in his blue eyes were almost her undoing. She felt the urge to just tell him everything. Tell him about Neal, about the life that she had led, why she had to give Henry up, what happened to her. But she clamped down the urge; she wasn't ready yet. She would be, eventually; she knew that she was too far gone and in too deep with Killian already. There was no stopping them from going down this path.

"It's me." Emma sighed. "You're perfect, you really are, but I'm not...I'm not capable of letting go of my past yet."

He gave her an understanding look, brushing some loose strands of hair behind her ear. Killian had a hopeful look in his eyes as he asked, "Yet?"

Emma smiled softly. "Yet."

Killian nodded, kissing her again. "Okay, I can wait."

"I know."

He pulled away, picking up her jacket and helping her pull it on, before grabbing his own. "Let's clean up here, and then get you back to your lad."

Emma smiled again, feeling happier than she had in a long time. Maybe...maybe the way Killian made her feel really wasn't a bad thing.

Two weeks of absolute relationship bliss. Or at least that was what it was supposed to be like for Killian and Emma. They'd go work at the station together as usual, which included dealing with Gold getting out of jail when Moe French dropped all charges (something they all suspected had to be Regina's doing), trading jests with Jefferson and David, hiding away in the other rooms in the station for a quickie now and again when they couldn't stand the tension that sparked between them, they'd pick up Henry from school and have time to hang out with just the three of them, Killian even helped Henry with his homework, they'd still go on dates, and even hung out at the Rabbit Hole with David and the rest of Killian's friends.

Sounded perfect, didn't it? This honeymoon phase that they were in. Except for the fact that the closer she and Killian got, the more she felt a part of him pull away. She didn't know what was going on with him, but something seemed different. Like with Mary Margaret, except Killian was still Killian, while Mary Margaret felt like a totally different person.

Emma didn't know what the hell was going on with them, and it was starting to piss her off that both of them, and David, and even Henry, were all being evasive whenever she asked.

Was this an Operation Cobra thing? But then if it was, why was Mary Margaret a part of it and Emma left out? Was it because she didn't believe in the curse? Did Henry not want her to be a part of his game anymore? Is that why the four of them had been tiptoeing around her? They didn't want to hurt her feelings?

Well, if that's the way it was, then they failed, because Emma was hurt. She felt as though everyone was pushing her away and leaving her all alone. Just as soon as she was getting close to them. But then what else did she expect? Wasn't this what always happened to her? First her parents, then the Swans, then her foster families, and then Neal. Everyone left her because she was unlovable, worthless little orphan Emma Swan.

She was supposed to be alone.

Emma glanced up from her coffee mug as someone slipped into the seat across from her. She was at Granny's taking a coffee break to think things over while Killian and David were still at the station.

August gave her a smile.

"Can I help you?" Emma asked, disappointed that it wasn't Killian coming to check on her. He usually had a sixth sense about her feeling down in the dumps or needing to talk. Her heart fluttered as she thought about how well Killian knew her, but it seemed like even that wasn't as true as she thought with his shutting her out.

"I was wondering if you'd like that drink now."

"Sure, I guess." Emma said. "But it's kind of early for one, don't you think?"

August smirked a secretive little smirk and stood up. "Come on."

"I thought you wanted that drink."

"I do." August said, "But not here."

Emma hesitated. She wasn't sure about August. Nothing came up in the background check, and Emma didn't know whether or not she could trust him. David and Killian certainly disliked him and both of them, on separate occasions, had pulled her aside and warned her that August wasn't good news. Emma had assured them that she could take care of herself, but they still told her to be wary.

But she was curious about him, and going with him might just give her some answers, like why he was in Storybrooke or, you know, why her boyfriend and their best friend hated the man.

August was already turning to leave, so Emma followed him. His motorcycle was parked in front of Granny's.

"Hop on." August said once he settled himself on the bike.

"You want me to get on the back of that?" Emma asked.

"That's what "hop on" means." August shrugged.

"I have a car, we can drive."

"How about you stop having to control everything and take a leap of faith?" August asked. "You owe me a drink. Hop on. I know a good watering hole." August handed Emma a helmet.

What the hell? Emma shrugged, pulling the helmet on before situating herself behind him. They rode off, Emma instinctively holding onto him.

Neither of them aware that Killian had been headed to Granny's to talk to Emma, knowing that something was wrong with her, and having an inkling that it may have had to do with him. His memories had become more of a nuisance than he had originally believed they would be. Over three hundred years of one life were whirling around in his head fighting his cursed memories. He wasn't sure if he was Killian or the pirate most days, so he'd been pulling away from Emma to protect her.

Obviously that didn't seem to matter to her since she was going off gallivanting with August, after Killian had warned her about him.

The rational part of Killian knew that Emma wasn't like that; that she was in a serious relationship with him and she would never jeopardize that. But Killian felt nothing but a vicious jealously as he watched Emma with August.

Gritting his teeth together, Killian stalked back to the station, feeling angry and pained and worthless.

August directed the bike through the forest, ending up parking it next to a well at the edge of the woods. He turned off the bike and he and Emma got off.

"A watering hole? Literally?" Emma asked as August walked over to the well.

"Well, say what you want about me," August smirked. "I always tell the truth." It seemed to Emma that he was overly amused by his own words, as though it was some sort of joke that only he understood.

Emma shrugged, glancing down the well. "I just thought a drink was, like, wine or whiskey."

"What, do you want me to get you drunk?" August asked, quirking a brow.

"No." Emma said.

"Next time, then." August said.

Emma narrowed her eyes at him. "You are optimistic. Especially considering the fact that I have a boyfriend."

August pulled out two cups. "Right, the sheriff. You know, he doesn't seem like a very good guy."

"He's a good man." Emma defended. "As far as I'm concerned, you're the one that doesn't seem to be the good guy here."

"Is that Jones talking, or Nolan?"

Emma jolted in surprise.

"Oh yeah, I know they don't like me." August told her as he set the cups down, and began pulling up the well's bucket. "They've made that quite clear."

"Why don't they like you?"

August shrugged. "Testosterone issues." He took the bucket and poured water into one cup, before handing it over to Emma, and then filling the other cup for himself. "They say there's something special about this well. There's even a legend. They say that the water from the well is fed by an underground lake, and that lake has magical properties." It was a none too subtle change of subject.

"Magic?" Emma scoffed. "You sound like my son, Henry."

"Smart kid." August nodded. "So, this legend. It says that if you drink the water from the well, something lost will be returned to you."

"You know an awful lot about this town for being a stranger." Emma stated. She was beginning to think that there was some basis to Killian and David's dislike of the man, other than "testosterone issues", come on really? That's the excuse he was going to use?

"And you know very little for being a deputy and a citizen of this fair town." August retorted.

"How do you know all this?" Emma asked, her tone suspicious. "You've been here before?"

"I know all of this for one very simple reason," August said, sounding slightly conspiratorial. "I read the plaque."

Emma shook her head. "You actually believe that?"

"I'm a writer. I have to have an open mind."

"Yeah, but magic?" Emma raised a brow.

"Water is a very powerful thing." August explained. "Cultures as old as time have worshipped it. It flows throughout all lands, connecting the entire world. If anything had mystical properties, if anything had magic, well, I'd say it'd be water."

"That's asking a lot to believe on faith." Emma huffed.

August tilted his head at her, seeing the skepticism in her features. He was hoping that he could bring her out here and then slowly build up to the curse being real and convincing her to believe, but he had a feeling that now wasn't the right time. Still, he could continue to plant the seeds.

"If you need evidence for everything, Emma, you're going to find yourself stuck in one place for a long time."

Emma bristled. "Maybe. Or, maybe I'll just find the truth before anyone else."

August raised his cup. "Well, Miss Skeptic, there's one thing I can tell you for sure that requires no leap of faith, and I know you'll agree with me."

"What's that?"

"It's good water."

Gold didn't take to walking in the park. He walked along main street in the morning from his shop where he parked his car to Granny's and then back. But today, he felt that he needed to clear his head.

For two weeks now he had been seeing her ghost. Glimpses of her hair, her silhouette in his peripheral vision, he even thought he heard her voice once.

He felt as though he were going mad.

Belle haunted him, that was nothing new, but never like this.

Shaking himself, he sat down on one of the benches, closing his eyes, hoping to rid himself of all thoughts of her. He just wanted to clear his his mind.

"Um, excuse me?"

No, no, it's not real. He thought to himself, hearing her voice again.

"Sir, are you okay?"

It seemed as though Belle's voice wasn't going away. Perhaps it was time to go back to his shop and seclude himself away for the rest of the day. He opened his eyes, ready to stand and leave the park, but all thoughts of doing so left him as soon as he set his eyes on the woman in front of him.

"Belle?" He whispered.

She tilted her head, brows scrunching in confusion, blue eyes showing concern. "Do I know you?"

He couldn't really hear her words, his eyes hungrily absorbing in the side of her. Gold stood, taking a cautious step towards her. "Belle? You're alive?"

"I'm sorry, but do we know each other?" Belle asked, stepping back slightly, worried about who this stranger might be.

Gold couldn't believe it. Belle was alive, breathing, right here, right in front of him. But how? Regina had said...Regina, of course. His grip on his cane tightened. She lied to him, making him believe that his Belle was dead. He had spent so much time blaming himself, for pushing her away, for kicking her out of the castle, believing that her death was his fault. But it was a lie. One that Regina would pay dearly for, rest assured.

"Are you all right?" Belle asked, noticing the rage in his eyes.

Gold stood straight, a tight smile curling onto his face, unsure if he could control the amount of anger that he was feeling toward the Evil Queen at the moment. "I'm fine."

Belle nodded, still wary of him, which made his heart constrict. "Um, you, uh, never answered my question. Do we know each other?"

"A long time ago, my dear." Gold said, forcing himself to calm his anger and relax for Belle's sake. "A long time ago."

"Oh, then maybe you know what happened to me?"

"What happened to you?" He tilted his head.

"Yes, you see I, um, well I don't have any memories." Belle said. "Regina said that we used to be friends, she's been helping me since I got out, but I don't remember her or anything for that matter other than I'm Belle."

"Regina has been helping you?" He sneered. I'm sure she has. "Dear Belle, how would you like to join me for lunch? Perhaps, I could help you fill in the holes in your memory."

Belle wasn't sure; she didn't know this man, but unlike with Regina, Belle felt that there was something about him that she could trust. "I'd like that." She smiled.

Rumple couldn't help but return it. Belle was back. That alone was enough to quell the beast inside of him; the beast that wanted to be enraged, to seek revenge against Regina.

For now, at least.

He'd spend his time with Belle, but Regina was far from being off of the hook.

Emma got out of her bug and walked up the hill towards Killian's house. She had August drop her off at the station, only to find David manning it alone, saying that Killian hadn't felt well and clocked out early. Though it was a quiet day, so it wasn't like that was a problem. She still had a few hours until Henry got out of school, so she decided to check up on him. Emma was concerned because Killian hadn't called or texted her to tell her that he was sick.

Knocking on the door, she hoped that she hadn't disturbed him from his rest.

Killian opened the door, and tensed, surprised to see her.

Her forehead scrunched in concern; he didn't look unwell. "Hey, David said you weren't feeling well?"

His entire being relaxed at her words, seeming relieved that she had come to check on him. However, it looked as though he remembered something and a hard looked appeared on his face.

"Concerned for me, are you Swan?" There was a bite to his tone that Emma wasn't used to.

She stepped back slightly. "Of course I am." Emma said softly, "Why wouldn't I be?"

"How would I know?" He shrugged, playing indifference.

That cut at Emma's heart. Why was he shutting her out? Choosing irritation over worry, Emma snapped. "What is your problem?"

Killian quirked a brow. "Why don't you tell me?"

Emma rolled her eyes, shoving past him, entering the house. She had a feeling that this was a conversation that needed to be had inside. "I don't know." She said, turning to face him as he shut the door. "You were fine when I left the station, then I come back and find out that you might be sick, and you didn't call me to tell me. I was worried about you, you ass."

He had the decency to look a bit ashamed.

"Now I came here to check up on you, so you mind telling me why I have to deal with an attitude problem, instead?" Emma huffed, crossing her arms.

"Where did...where did you go with Booth?" He asked quietly, eyes on the floor.

Booth? August? Emma thought. That's when it hit her. Killian saw them leave Granny's together, which meant that he could've only been heading that way to check on her, just as she had hoped he would. And seeing that must've given him the wrong idea. After Graham, when they weren't even an actual couple, Emma should've expected that Killian was capable of jealously. Especially with how much he disliked August, and considering that Killian had still been jealous of Graham despite how close he and Graham had been.

"Did you...do you really think that I could do that to you?" She asked softly, walking back to him.

Killian couldn't look at her, both embarrassed and ashamed at his behavior, because he knew better. He knew that Emma would never, ever cheat, considering her own past heartbreak and how hard it was for her to get close to people. "No." He sighed. "I know that you wouldn't, but I just...I saw you together and I felt...like perhaps I might not be good enough."

"Not good enough?" Emma would've laughed if she didn't think that the action wouldn't cause him to clam up more. She cupped his face in her hands, making him look up at her. "What would make you think that?"

Because I'm Capt...because I'm a villain. He thought dejectedly, closing his eyes. At least, I think I am, and since when do villains deserve love and happy endings. But he couldn't voice those thoughts. Just as he couldn't tell her about his struggle with his cursed memories and his real ones. How so many of them had barraged him and intensified in detail and heightened his emotional state for the past two weeks. How he was getting closer to really knowing who he was, yet so far away. It was as though he had a split personality.

There was Killian. Killian who loved Emma. Who had given and would continue to give her his heart and soul. Killian who believed that she was his soulmate.

Killian who had a family. In Emma and Henry. In David and Mary Margaret. In Marco. Killian who had friends. Killian who was never truly alone despite the fact that he felt consumed by loneliness from time to time. Killian who had loved ones to think about; people to put before himself.

Then there was him. Ho..gods, Killian couldn't even think the name without fear. It was as though it wasn't truly real so long as he didn't acknowledge him for who he was.

And who he was was a villain. A man with a blackened heart, who was dead set on avenging his first love, his Milah. A man who was broken beyond repair, who wasn't whole, who was bitter and alone. A man who had spent the majority of his three centuries of life alone and wallowing in darkness. A man who wouldn't care if anyone, let alone who, got hurt in pursuit of his revenge, so long as he got it, so long as he skinned his Crocodile.

The only thing standing in his way was Killian. It was Killian Jones' heart that was going to be a problem. It was Killian who would prevent him from taking his vengeance.

"Killian, please don't shut me out."

The pleading tone in her voice tugged at his heart.

He opened his eyes to meet hers.

Green eyes filled with fear and worry and concern and was that...? He searched her eyes, really searched them, trying to see just what it was that was hidden there. What he found made his heart beat stutter. "Emma...I..."

Emma silenced him with a kiss. A kiss that said more than she ever could in that moment, and she hoped that he knew it, in the way that he always seemed to when it came to her.

Killian responded desperately, needing to feel her, to feel this.

The passion built up with each breath they drew together, before they stumbled their way to his bed, falling together.

Regina was ready to leave her office when Gold arrived.

"I'm off the clock, Mr. Gold." Regina said.

"I'm here on a more personal matter, your majesty."

Regina didn't miss the venom in his tone, nor the seething look he was giving her.

"I see you've finally run into Belle." Regina said, having planned for this. She crossed her arms over her chest, a look of indifference on her face.

"You lied to me, dearie." He hissed. "That was not a smart move."

"Now you know what I'm capable of." Regina said. "If I can hold Belle against her will for twenty-eight years to keep you in line, what else do you think I'd do in order to keep Emma from breaking the curse?"

"Ah, so that is what this was about." Rumple said. "You release Belle to get under my skin, threaten her life, all so I can help you stop Miss Swan?"

"I won't let the Savior win."

"It's not about winning or losing, " Rumple explained, "it's about destiny. I created the curse with the stipulation that it will be broken, not just that it can. Neither you nor Miss Swan nor anyone else can stop fate."

"But you can, can't you?" Regina glared. "You created the curse, surely you can create something to counteract it."

"Please Regina, how naive can you be after all these years?" Rumple said. "You know that I can't. Not when the curse has already been cast."

"Then do something else!" Regina snapped. "Get rid of Emma Swan!"

"Or what? You'll harm Belle?" He snarled at her. "I'll have you know that she is under my protection now. You'll have to do better than this, dearie." Rumple turned around and made to leave.

"I'm open to suggestions." Regina hissed through gritted teeth.

Rumple stopped, smirking. Suggestions, eh? His smirk dropped off his face as he turned back to her. "Short of a sleeping curse, which won't be attainable considering that this is the Land Without Magic, nothing will stop this curse from being broken."

A malicious gleam appeared in her eyes, her lips curling into a cruel smirk.

He left feeling triumphant that the curse would most certainly be broken now.

The early hours of March first began with a prison break that would lead to one of the most eventful days in Storybrooke history.

Jefferson was sleeping on his cot in his cell, more than used to it, so used to it that the station had become more of a home to him than his mansion ever had. Though that was more due to Killian and David, and Emma, who had finally warmed up to him. They were the first real friends that he had had in a long time. Longer than he'd care to admit.

His sleep was, unfortunately, disturbed by the sound of heels clicking against the tiled floor. He decided to feign sleep, however, until he knew who it was that had decided to break into the station, though due to the fact that it was heels, he had a feeling that he knew exactly who it was.

The presence stopped in front of the bars of his cell.

"Wake up, Jefferson." Regina commanded.

"Your majesty," Jefferson sighed. He sat up, blinking away the sleep in his eyes. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"I need your help." Regina smirked.

"And what makes you think, I won't kill you after everything you've done?" Jefferson asked, bored of this conversation already.

"Because you don't have it in you." Regina said. "If you did, you would have done it twenty-eight years ago when I brought you here, and because you know if I'm dead, you'll never get your daughter back. And I have a way for us to both get what we want."

Regina reached for a box that was sitting a top the small couch next to his cell.

He hadn't noticed it, knowing that she must've brought it with her.

She retrieved a very familiar top hat from the box, holding it up for him to see.

"My hat." Jefferson swallowed.

"I want you to use it again." Regina told him.

"I can't make it work." Jefferson explained. "No one can. Not without magic. As you know, this land is pretty much short of that."

"Actually, you're in luck, because I happen to have magic." Regina said. "Not a lot, but hopefully, enough for one last journey."

Jefferson hesitated, a bad feeling settling in his stomach. "Where?"

Regina smirked. "Back to our land, where there's a solution to a very delicate problem that I have."

"Emma." Jefferson assumed, knowing that Emma being the Savior and possibly being close to breaking the curse would be the only situation in which Regina would use up the last of her magic reserves. "And why shouldn't I let her do just that? End the madness and go home." He didn't want to be involved in this. Not if it hurt Emma. And definitely not if it pissed off David and Killian.

"Home to your hovel?" Regina scoffed. "Selling fungus at the fair? Why? When you could just stay here in the mansion I gave you?" She leaned closer to the bars, staring him down from where he sat, unmoving. "My problem, Jefferson, is the same as yours. It's family. We both want our children back, and we both can get them, if we work together."

"Why should I trust you now?" Jefferson asked. Why should I betray my friends?

"You shouldn't." Regina said. "But it's the only offer you've got. After we're through, I'll wake up your dear Grace, so she remembers who you are."

"No." Jefferson glared. He didn't want Grace to remember, not if he could help it. "Remembering is the worst curse. Two lives in her head, like me. I want to forget." He hesitated. Jefferson truly didn't want to betray the Charmings and Jones, really he didn't, but they would understand, wouldn't they? He had been away from Grace for so long, watching her live happily from afar. "I want you to write us a new story, a fresh start, here."

A triumphant look graced Regina's face. "Well, my dear Jefferson, then that's exactly what you'll have. After we take care of Miss Swan."

Jefferson swallowed down the guilt of his decision as Regina unlocked his cell.

Regina nodded. "Let's go then, shall we?"

Regina lead the way down the secret passage in the Mills Mausoleum. They walked down to her vault, a clear direction in Regina's mind.

"What is this place?" Jefferson asked.

"Where I've kept the last bit of my magic." Regina explained. "The only magic in this world is in the things I brought with me."

They stopped and Jefferson set his hat down in the center of the room. They waited a beat, but nothing happened.

"It's not working." Jefferson sighed, not knowing whether he should be worried or relieved.

Regina pursed her lips, thinking over possible solutions. "It must need to absorb the magic that's here. I have some things left. A few trinkets that we can use." She took a box from one of the side walls and dumped the contents into the hat.

Jefferson ran a hand through his hair. "It's not enough. You're going to need to use something that still works."

Hesitating, Regina pulled out a ring. Holding it up, she produced an image of Daniel at the center of it.

"Who's that?" Jefferson asked.

"Someone long gone."

"Well, whatever or whoever it is, it still has magical properties." Jefferson said, somewhat impatient. "Give me that, and let me see what I can do with it."

Regina hesitated again.

Jefferson held out his hand for the ring. "If you want your son back, if you want your revenge, give it to me."

Regina dropped the ring into his hand.

He tossed it into the hat.

A purple vortex began to form, but the hat only spun for a brief moment before stilling.

"What's wrong?" Regina asked. "Why isn't it opening a portal?"

"The magic is still not enough." He explained. "We can't go anywhere."

"Then you failed." Regina hissed.

Jefferson considered her a moment. "Maybe not." He motioned to the hat. "There's enough magic to touch the other side, just not to get us there. There might be enough to reach through and retrieve something. Something small, that you could take with your hand."

"Good." Regina smirked. "That's all I needed."

"All right, since it's a specific object that you want, you'll need to direct me to the time and place where it exists." Jefferson explained, handing Regina the hat.

"How?"

Jefferson said, "Think about it. Guide the hat."

Regina closed her eyes, thinking about the apple that she had used long ago to curse Snow White. She placed the hat on the ground, and spun it so that a proper vortex appeared.

"It's working." Jefferson told her. "Now, what is it we're after?"

"An apple."

It took a few minutes but it wasn't long before they managed to pull the apple through.

Jefferson held it out to her. "Is this it?"

"Yes." Regina took the apple from him.

"Now, is our deal done?" Jefferson asked. "Do Grace and I get our new start?"

"Not just yet." Regina said. "Not until I get the Savior to eat this."

"What exactly does it do?"

"It's a sleeping curse." Regina smirked, "One bite from this, and the Savior sleeps for an eternity. The curse remains, and I get my son back."

Emma couldn't believe that Jefferson had broken out.

None of them could. He was a model prisoner, and he seemed as though he actually liked being in jail. Or at least, he liked the company that came with it.

It just didn't sit right with Emma. There was something else going on. She had woken up this morning with a bad feeling, and it was only getting worse as she searched the town square for Jefferson.

David and Killian had taken to searching Jefferson's house and the surrounding woods.

"Emma!"

She whirled around to see August walking over to her.

"Not now August, I'm working." Emma said.

"This is important." August said.

"So is looking for an escaped prisoner." Emma huffed.

"If this gives you some incentive, I might know a way to get Regina out of your hair." August said.

Emma shot him a skeptical look. "Regina hasn't been in my hair for months now."

"And that doesn't strike you as odd?" August asked. "You have her son, Emma, and you and I both know how relentless Regina can be."

August had a point. It was odd that Regina had been quiet for so long.

"What exactly did you have in mind?" Emma asked, wondering if August was really working with Regina. It made sense. He showed up out of nowhere and seemed to have an interest in the happenings in Storybrooke, more so in her family. It was enough to make anyone suspicious.

"A trip."

"A trip to where?" Emma narrowed her eyes at him.

"Let's just say it's, somewhere down memory lane."

Killian and David returned to the station empty handed, only to find Jefferson sitting at David's desk.

"Where the bloody hell have you been?" Killian growled.

"Regina broke me out." Jefferson explained. He would've been perfectly fine to let Regina do what she wanted so long as he could get his daughter back. That was all he wanted. His daughter, happy and healthy and safe, with him. But the guilt of betraying the people that he had grown to think of as his friends ate at him, leading him to his current position.

He had to tell them. "She had my hat, and some magic left, so she enlisted my help."

"To do what exactly?" David asked.

"To cross realms." Jefferson said. "She wanted to go back to the Enchanted Forest to get an apple. The portal, however, wasn't large enough to travel through. But since it was an apple, therefore small enough, we could still reach through the portal and take it."

"Wait, an apple?" David paled. "An apple as red as blood?"

"Sure as hell looked like it." Jefferson said.

"Did she tell you what she was going to use it for?"

"Dave, what's going on?" Killian asked, noting the fear and worry on David's face. It was unnerving to see the prince panicking.

"The sleeping curse." Jefferson told them. "Regina is going to give it to Emma."

"Why?" Killian demanded.

"To prevent her from breaking the curse." David said. "All right, we have to find Emma, and Regina. We can't let Emma get cursed."

Killian swallowed down his own panic as he and Jefferson followed David out of the station. Emma was in danger and every fiber of his being was telling him to find her and protect her. He just hoped that they could find her quickly; that they wouldn't be too late.

August parked the motorcycle on the side of a road outside the boundaries of Storybrooke.

Emma got off the bike, but froze when she saw the diner across the street. "What the hell is this?" She hissed.

August shrugged. "Last I checked, it was a diner."

"No more screwing around." Emma growled. "What the hell are we doing here?"

"I think you know." August said, "You've been here before." He pulled a newspaper article out of his pocket and showed it to Emma. "This is the diner you were brought to when you were found as a baby."

Emma glared, going on the defensive. "So, you found an article about me. So what? Are you working with Regina? Is this some ploy to get me to leave Henry? To leave Storybrooke?"

"What? No, Emma, I'm not working for Regina." August said. "I brought you here to tell you a story."

"What story?"

"Mine." August turned and walked off of the road, heading into the woods.

Emma could either go to the diner and find a ride back to Storybrooke, or follow August. She didn't trust him at all, but he knew about her story, and he wanted to tell her his. Despite her bad feeling increasing in strength as she made her choice and walked towards the trees, Emma shook it off, ready to get answers.

"Why are we in the woods?" Emma asked when she caught up to him.

"Do you know who that boy was?" August asked her. "The one who found you?"

"No, why?"

"Because that seven year old boy who found you," August began, stopping to sit on a fallen tree. "That was me. And we're in the woods, because all of the answers that you've been searching for are right here. Where I found you."

"See, that right there proves that you're not that boy." Emma glared. "I wasn't found in the woods. I was found on the side of a highway."

"Why do you think that?" August asked her. "Because you read it in the newspaper? Did it ever occur to you that, maybe, that seven year old boy lied about where he found you?"

Emma studied him. "No. But it occurs to me that you've been lying to me about everything. And I'm done listening." She turned to leave.

"When I found you, you were wrapped in a white blanket." August said. "And the name "Emma" was embroidered along the bottom of it."

Emma froze, a chill running up her spine.

"That wasn't in the article, was it?" August leaned back a bit, adjusting his left leg. "How would I know that unless I was there?"

Emma turned back to face him. "Okay, let's say that you were that kid. Why lie about where you found me?"

"To protect you."

"From what?"

August pointed to a tree to her left. "That."

"A tree?" She scoffed.

"Haven't you read Henry's book?" August asked. "You know about the curse, don't you? Your role in it? It's all true, Emma. We both came into this world through this tree."

Emma shook her head, disbelief in her stature. "You're asking me to believe that you are a fairy tale character?"

"Pinocchio."

"Right, of course." Emma snorted. "Pinocchio. Explains all the lying. You're the one who added the story to Henry's book."

August sighed. "I needed you to know the truth."

"The truth is that you are out of your mind." Emma said. "And why the hell didn't you write the end of that story?"

"Because this is the ending, and we're writing it right now."

Emma sighed. Coming with him had been a very bad idea, and it wasn't doing her any emotional good. This man was claiming that he was Pinocchio, of all things, and that he had been the one to find her as a baby. While that latter part might be true because he knew about her blanket, Emma found his whole story of his identity and the fact that they entered this world through a freaking tree of all things ridiculous. He honestly didn't expect her to believe him, right? "So, how does this story end?"

"With you believing."

"Not going to happen." Emma made to leave again.

August got up to stop her, but he was struck with unimaginable pain in his leg, causing him to fall back down. "Emma, wait!"

Emma stopped, glancing at his leg concerned, but she didn't move any closer to him.

"I failed." August said. "You don't believe."

"What are you talking about?"

"I was supposed to be there for you. And I wasn't." August winced, grasping at his leg. "That night you decided to stay in Storybrooke, the day that time started to move forward again, I was halfway around the world, getting a painful reminder of just how far I'd strayed." He paused, looking down at his leg, wondering if it would work. "If that tree won't make you believe, maybe this will." He pulled up his pant leg, revealing a wooden leg.

At least, it was wooden to him.

All Emma saw was a normal, human leg. "How does that prove anything?"

August looked from her to his leg and back. "You don't see it, do you?"

"See what?"

"Your denial is more powerful than I thought. It's preventing you from seeing truth."

"Okay, one of us is losing it here, and it's not me." Emma said.

"I am not screwing around here, Emma." August snapped. "You don't want to believe. After everything you've seen, why can't you just do it? Just believe."

"Believe in what?" Emma exclaimed. "The curse? That's not real, August. It is a child's fantasy."

"It's real." August argued. "You have to believe."

"Why?"

"Because I need you too." August told her. "The town, Henry, Jones, they all need you."

This was too much. Everything that he was saying was all so crazy. Wasn't it? The curse wasn't real. That's what she had been telling herself all these months, despite what Henry, David, Killian, and Jefferson all seemed to believe. None of it was real. There was no curse. No fairy tales and no magic.

"Emma, you're the only one who can break the curse." August continued. "You're the only one who can bring back the happy endings."

"You're saying that I am responsible for everyone's happiness?" Emma hissed, eyes watering as her emotions threatened to consume her. "That is crap! I didn't ask for that. I don't want it."

"A little while ago, you didn't want Henry, either." August said. "But then, he came to you, and now, you are fighting like hell for him."

"For him!" Emma yelled. "Because that is all I can handle right now. Now, you're telling me I have to save everyone? That is beyond ridiculous. I don't want any of it."

"Well, that's too bad, Emma, because that doesn't change the truth." August told her. "You are our only hope."

Emma shook her head, furiously fighting the tears. "Then you're all screwed."

Killian paced his living room, phone in hand as it rung and rung.

They couldn't find her anywhere. They had called her cell phone, but she hadn't been answering.

Between him, David, Mary Margaret, Henry, and Jefferson, they couldn't find her and Killian was panicking. She wasn't at the station or the loft or Granny's or Regina's. Hell, Regina wasn't at Regina's. They had no idea where the Evil Queen was either.

Which lead Killian to head home, praying that Emma had gone there. Instead, he found his house just as empty, spurring him to try and call Emma's phone once again.

Speaking of, Emma burst through his door at that moment.

Unthinkingly, Killian dropped his phone and rushed to her, kissing her with abandon.

Emma responded eagerly, a hint of desperation in her kiss.

When they had to breath again, Killian pulled away only a fraction, pressing his forehead to hers. "Where were you?" His voice cracked. "We were worried sick, and calling you. You weren't answering, and I didn't know what happened..." Killian trailed off when he opened his eyes to look at her and realized that she was crying. "Emma, sweetheart, what happened?"

She shook her head, pulling him close.

Killian wrapped his arms around her, hand going up to stroke her hair as she rested her head against his shoulder. "It's all right, love, you're safe. I'm here." His soothing words really did have a way of breaking her.

And Emma needed it. She needed to let it all out, so that he would comfort her.

Before she even realized it, she was telling him everything that happened with August. Everything that "Pinocchio" told her. "He thinks that this curse bullshit is real and that I really am this Savior." So wrapped up in recounting her story, she hadn't noticed Killian's tense posture until she finished. "Killian?"

"Emma, um," Killian swallowed nervously, "we need to talk."

"That doesn't sound good." She tried to joke.

Killian sighed. If there was any time that Emma could be convinced that the curse was real, this was it. "Emma, August was telling the truth."

"What?" Emma took a step back from him.

Knowing that she needed her space, Killian stayed put. "Everything that Henry, David, Jefferson, and August have told you about the curse, about Regina being the Evil Queen, about you being the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, it's all true. Every bit of it."

Emma closed her eyes, pinching her nose tightly. She shook her head. "No, you can't..." She looked him square in the eyes. "You can't believe that any of this is true."

"It is, love." Killian said. "After everything that has happened, how can you not believe? David coming out of his coma, Graham getting his memories back, everything that happened with Jefferson. Me."

"You?"

"You've noticed me pulling away from you." Killian stepped closer to her, hand coming up to cup her cheek. "Ever since our first kiss, I've been getting memories of another life. Just like Graham."

"What are you talking about?" Emma asked, dread filling her.

"David, Jefferson, Regina, Gold, Mary Margaret." Killian said. "They all remember who they were before the curse. And...so do I."

"This is crazy." Emma pulled away from him once again, arms crossed in front of her, her stance protective.

"I know that it may seem impossible, but maybe if you just read Henry's book, or let me call your parents..."

"I don't have any parents!" Emma interrupted. "David and Mary Margaret are my friends, and they are the same age as I am."

"Because they were frozen during the curse." Killian stated. "Remember, when you arrived here? The clock tower was stuck at eight fifteen. I was watching it that night, after I visited you. It moved the moment that you decided to stay."

"Stop!"

Killian winced at the pain in her tone.

"Just stop." Emma whispered, tears leaking from her eyes.

He swallowed, his throat tightening.

She looked at him with pain and disappointment, as if he had let her down.

Perhaps he had.

"I...I can't handle this." Emma said.

"Emma."

"I think that we need some time apart." She spoke quickly, her flight response kicking in.

The lump in his throat hurt when he spoke. "What?"

Emma shook her head, clearly not wanting to explain. "Don't follow me." She whispered before she fled from the house.

Leaving a heartbroken Killian in her wake.

I lost her.

Regina knocked on the door of the loft, hoping that Emma was the only one home.

The door opened, revealing a puffy eyed, sniffling Emma.

"Regina? What do you want?"

"I wanted to talk to you." Regina said. She held up a tupperware container. "I even brought a peace offering."

Emma narrowed her eyes, suspicious of Regina's motives, which after everything with August and then Killian, Emma was really not prepared to deal with Regina on top of that.

"May I come in?" Regina asked.

Reluctantly, Emma let her in.

Regina set the tupperware down on the dining room table. "I do hope you like apple turnovers. It's an old recipe, but it's delicious."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." Regina said. "Look, I, I miss Henry. I may not have been the...best mother by some peoples' standards, but I assure you, everything that I did was always with Henry's best interest in mind."

"Sure." Emma nodded, though her expression clearly said that she wasn't buying any of it. "So, what, you want joint custody or something?"

"I just want to see my son." Regina explained. "I want to have him over for dinner, maybe even have him spend a night at my place. I want to be in his life again. Surely, you of all people, Miss Swan, can understand that?"

Emma bristled at the comment. "Yeah, I can, but that's not up to me. Henry came to me, so if he wants you in his life, I'll see what I can do. I'll talk to him when he gets home from school, and we'll go from there."

"Thank you, Miss Swan." Regina headed out the door. "I hope you enjoy the turnover."

The Mayor left feeling elated. One bite, and Emma Swan would no longer be a problem.

Gold looked up as Mary Margaret and David entered his shop.

"Mr. Nolan, Miss Blanchard." He greeted. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Rumplestiltskin." Mary Margaret returned, surprising the old man with the knowledge that she had her memories. "Where is Regina?"

"I don't know, dearies." Rumple said. "May I ask why?"

"She has a sleeping curse." David said. "And she's going to use it on Emma."

"And you believe that without Emma, the curse can't be broken?" Rumple asked.

"Yes, right?" David questioned. "Emma's the Savior, so only she can break it."

"True." He nodded. "But who says Emma will be the one cursed?"

Mary Margaret glared. "What are you talking about?"

"Did it occur to either of you that the sleeping curse is a good thing?" Rumple asked. "How do you break a curse?"

"With True Love's Kiss." Mary Margaret answered.

"And what better way for True Love's Kiss to happen than with a sleeping curse." David finished. He turned to Mary Margaret. "Come on, we have to get Killian and find Emma."

They rushed out of the shop, towards David's truck.

Rumplestiltskin smirked with maniacal glee. The curse would be broken very soon.

Emma was curled up in her bed, thinking over everything that happened today, feeling utterly exhausted. Devastated actually. The love of her life believed in a ten year old's fantasy meaning that he very well might be delusional, her son's mother still wanted him back, and apparently the boy that had found her when she was a baby had grown up insane. It was all just too much to deal with. All she wanted to do was ignore the world and go to sleep. Then maybe, tomorrow everyone would be a little saner and her off-kilter world would right itself again.

"Mom? I'm home." Henry called out.

"Upstairs." Emma replied.

Henry bounded up the stairs, just as Emma sat up.

"Mom?" Henry tilted his head in concern at seeing her red-faced and puffy eyed. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Emma reassured. "It's just been a long day."

He didn't seem to buy it, but a knock on the door interrupted them. Henry raced down the stairs, hoping that it was Killian or David because he had an idea for Operation Seagull, with Emma following right behind him. He opened the door wide enough to allow Killian to enter.

"Hey Killian." He greeted the man with a hug.

Killian returned the hug tightly, his eyes meeting Emma's over Henry. "How are you today, lad?"

"Good." Henry said, pulling away. "I had an idea for that thing that we were working on."

"What thing?" Emma asked.

"Sorry mom, it's top secret."

"About that lad, I don't think that that's going to work out." Killian said, watching Emma move around them to the table. She picked up a tupperware container before heading over to the breakfast bar, clearly avoiding looking at him.

"Why not?" Henry asked.

"Um, there have been some complications." Killian tried to explain. "Henry, do you think you could give me and your mum a moment to talk?"

"Did you two have a fight?" Henry asked, turning to his mother. He noticed her putting a turnover on a plate. "What's that?"

Emma turned to look at him. "It's an apple turnover. Regina dropped it off earlier."

"You can't eat that!" Henry told her. "It's poison!"

"What?" Emma quirked a brow.

"It's poison, it had to be." Henry said. "You're a threat to the curse, as long as you're alive, so my mom wants you dead."

"Henry that's...the curse isn't real." Emma sighed.

"Yes it is!" Henry turned to Killian. "Tell her."

"I already tried." Killian told him, "That's the complication. She doesn't believe Henry."

"But she has to."

"She is right here." Emma said, motioning to herself. She walked over to Henry, kneeling before him. "Henry, you've got to stop thinking like this. You can't believe in curses."

"You really don't believe?" Henry looked absolutely crushed.

"Henry..." Emma sighed.

"But we can prove it to you." Henry argued.

Killian knew where Henry was going with this, and he swiftly made his way to the turnover before Henry could.

"The turnover?" Emma asked, having followed Killian's movements.

"Exactly." Henry smiled. "If someone eats it, we can prove that it's poison."

"Not someone." Killian said. He turned to Emma, his expression more serious than she had ever seen. He loved her, but this curse, making her believe, was bigger than them. She needed her family. He was expendable. "Emma, my love, you may not believe in the curse, or in me, or Henry. But we believe in you. I believe in you."

Before Emma could question him on why he would say something like that, my love playing in her head on loop, Killian took a large bite out of the turnover.

Nothing happened.

"See kid, it's fine." Emma said. "Nothing..."

Killian collapsed onto the floor.

"Killian!" Henry rushed over to the man.

Emma's heart stopped.

*cue maniacal laughter.

Okay, so now you know, it's Killian. I had always planned for it to be Killian.

As for the chapter, I hope that it didn't seemed rushed, but I really wanted to post this before the premiere tonight. I'm happy with how it turned out. And I still haven't reached my hiatus goal. I wanted the curse broken before "NYCS" premiered, but I don't think that I'll be able to write and finish the next chapter by that time.

And yes, you read that right. The next chapter is the end of season 1. The curse will be broken soon.

Then on to season 2, which is the one that I'm most excited about.

Happy Once Day Oncers!

I hope that we all survive this episode!