Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time

AN: I want to dedicate this to my awesome beta, GranddaughterOfCaskettAndTivia. Thank you so much for all of your patience and hard work. You're amazing! This did not wind up anywhere near where I thought it was going. Like not even a little bit. It was sparked by the scene where Emma was standing looking into the diner. Then it just kind of spun out of control and wound up here... ~ XOXO MAS

The five moments Emma realized she wanted to marry Hook

Moment #3

It was becoming her ritual. Every evening, Emma would settle herself on Main Street and watch Granny's from afar. She started it the month before. She'd watched as Killian gave Henry advice on how to woo a young girl from Camelot. Her name was Violet and Henry was quite enamored with her.

Three months after becoming the Dark One and Emma felt her heart actually take a few beats at the sight. Her little boy was old enough to notice girls. And her pirate was helping him, fathering him, taking him in. No matter how hurt Killian was by all of this, he was putting Henry first and Emma actually felt her heart start to break at her inability to help her son.

She wanted to be there. She wanted to sit next to Killian, maybe tease Henry a bit. She wanted to worry with Regina and fret with her mother and make bets with the dwarves on the status of her son's relationship with the newcomer. Instead she was forced to stay outside. She was an outsider looking in on a life that should be hers. If she hadn't taken that dagger, if she hadn't saved Regina.

Her eyes widened. It had been awhile since she thought of her newfound status as the Dark One in that way. It had been a long time since she realized she didn't take the power to simply have power or to be dark. She took it to save someone she loved.

OUAT

Emma stepped into the middle of Main Street and stared into Granny's Diner, she noted that Henry wasn't there. She vaguely remembered hearing some plans about spending the evening with her parents, Roland and Violet.

It was moments like these that she just felt so alone. She'd allowed the darkness to pull her under in Camelot. It was easier to succumb to it than to fight Gold. He was constantly there, constantly pulling her away from the people she loved. Constantly trying to get her to do magic.

She shuddered at some of the memories.

"You're sulking, dearie."

Emma spun at the voice. She hadn't heard his voice since she accepted the darkness. She thought her descent into madness was over. She thought she was through with him. She'd hoped she was through with him. "What do you want?" She snapped impatiently.

"You have to let it go." He motioned to the diner. "It's time to let all of them go. It's time to let go of the light." He reminded her of Excaliber locked safely away in her basement. Her goal with this curse was to drown out all of the light. She could do it if she reunited Excaliber with her dagger. Unfortunately (or fortunately, she wasn't quite sure at the moment), she'd been unable to pull the sword from the stone Merlin had put it in.

She glared at him, raised her hands and whisked him away. When silence surrounded her once again, she moved to a bus bench across the street and settled down, content to just watch the people in the diner. Her fingers thrummed with magic, but she had the urge to push it away. Balling her hands up into fists, she held onto the feeling. She held onto the feeling that she could go without magic for at least five minutes.

She knew why Gold had reappeared. She could feel it in her veins. As much as the darkness consumed her, the light was threatening to push in. Watching her friends and family continue on with their lives was threatening to push her towards the light. She'd lost so much to only gain this dark magic, and there were times when she felt that loss more acutely than anything else.

Her eyes flicked through the window again, landing on Regina, Robin, and Killian, seated together at booth. Regina's words echoed in her head, "Step away from my son."

Even when Regina was at her darkest, Emma had been forced to realize that he was their son. And now, after Emma had succumbed to the darkness to save Regina, the woman was taking Henry away from her. She was torn between thanking the woman for protecting Henry and blasting her into another realm to keep him for herself.

"You can't get away from me that easily, dearie." Gold's high-pitched voice echoed in her ear.

She turned her head, "Go to hell." She snapped, swiping at a stray tear.

The former Dark One held up a hand and paused, "Already there." He sang out with a maniacal laugh.

Emma stared at him blankly. She wondered briefly if she sounded like that. If absolute insanity seeped from her lips. Pushing herself up, she felt magic pulsing inside of her.

"Do you feel that. It wants you to use it." He taunted her as she crossed the street.

She threw the door to the diner open and everyone inside stilled. She felt the tension, knew Granny had her crossbow nearby, knew Regina was ready to fight her, knew Robin and the few Merry Men inside would protect everyone, knew Grumpy's ax was probably on hand. They didn't need it. She wouldn't hurt them. She spun to face Gold. "No. There will be no more magic." She screamed. "I don't want to use anymore magic." She ripped the dagger from her belt and stalked over to the table Regina was seated at.

"Emma?" The woman asked hesitantly, her hands raised and ready for battle.

"Please, take it. Please just make it stop. Make him go away." Her hand was shaking as she held out the metal.

"Swan," Killian's voice was soft in her ear, "make who go away?"

Emma let out a strangled sob, "Gold. The Dark One. I don't know. He just won't leave. He keeps pestering me about using magic and why won't he leave?" She dropped the dagger on the table top and dug her fingers into her hair, tugging at it.

Hesitantly, Killian reached up, his fingers moving swiftly to the pins holding the long braid secure. Within moments, he had her hair out of its confines. "It's okay, love. It's going to be okay." He nodded for Regina to take the dagger.

The diner was still silent and tense. A moment later, there was the scraping of a chair and a new presence hovering over them. "Why don't you take a seat, Emma. Ruby is making some hot cocoa with cinnamon."

Emma and Killian both looked up at Granny. It took a second, but Emma finally nodded, settling in the booth across from Robin and Regina. Killian slid in next to her. "Here you go, Emma." Ruby set the drink in front of her.

Hesitantly, Emma wrapped her hands around the mug. She felt her magic pulse again and jumped, "It's in you all the time, dearie. All you have to do is use it." Gold was hovering next to Killian now. The bastard could and would follow her anywhere.

She started shaking her head again, "No, I won't use magic. There won't be anymore magic until you're gone." She hissed. The diner remained quiet as she spoke. "No more magic." She continued.

Killian placed his hand over hers and Regina gripped the dagger tightly. "It's okay, love. He can't hurt you. He's not real."

"Oh, but I am." Gold moved to stand over Killian. "I could kill him so easily."

Emma's head shot up, "Don't you dare hurt him." She tried to stand, nearly upsetting the table. "Don't you lay a hand on him."

"Or you'll do what?" Gold taunted. "Use magic?" His hands waved mockingly. "You could."

Emma swallowed hard and sat back down. "Sorry." She murmured.

Robin reached across the table, "It's okay, Emma. It's okay." He rested his hand on top of hers and Emma let out a sigh. Regina's hand joined his and Killian pressed a kiss to her temple, "We'll figure this out." Robin promised.

"You can't let me use magic." Emma repeated. "No magic."

Regina kept her grip on the dagger. "I promise, Emma, this time, I'll protect this from you."

She glanced up at Killian, "Please, just, I can't go back there. Please just take me anywhere, but"

"You'll come back to the Jolly with me." Killian responded without thinking. "We'll figure this out, Swan. I know we will."

Closing her eyes, she rested her head on his shoulder. He reached over and laced his hand with hers. The moment they were intertwined, Gold disappeared. Her eyes flew open and she looked around, "He's gone." She murmured.

Regina stood up and tossed cash on the table, "We should get her to the ship while that's true." She told them.

Robin nodded, "The Merry Men will happily guard the docks as well." He offered.

OUAT

Emma sat at the edge of Killian's bed. "How long do you think he'll be gone for?" She asked softly.

Killian settled on the floor, reaching down to remove her shoes, "I don't know, love, I hope for awhile."

She sniffed and nodded, "Me too."

He hesitated as he looked up at her, his fingers gently massaging the arch of her foot absently, "Swan, what made you change? What made you come in and"

"I saw you. It was last month, I think." She paused, "You were giving Henry advice and I just" she closed her eyes, "I knew I should've been there and I wanted to be." She paused again, "I've been watching." She admitted, chewing on her lip, "And I realized something tonight."

His head fell to the side as he hands skimmed up her leg, "What?"

She took a breath. She knew she would've never said this before she turned dark, but now it didn't matter. As long as she was the Dark One, they could never be together and if she didn't tell him, she felt like it would eat her alive, "If I hadn't taken that dagger," she paused, "if you and I would've been sitting in there, watching Henry with his first crush," she paused again and took a breath, "Killian, I knew in that moment that if this hadn't happened," she shook her head, "Killian, I could see a life with you. A real life. A marriage and kids and Henry and I just," she let out a sob she hadn't realized she'd been holding in, "I love you. And I'm so tired of this. I'm so tired of fighting the light. I love you."

He was up in an instant, his hand gripping her face, his hook around her waist, drawing her up and flush against him. He pressed his lips to hers hard. He knew nothing would happen. This had been one of the first things he'd tried, but he just couldn't help it. She was still for a moment before responding almost instantly.

Something pushed them back, some flash of light, but she ignored it, dragging him closer to her, yanking him forward until they tumbled back onto the mattress.

A pounding on the deck and the door to the cabin bursting open before Robin nearly fell below caused them to pull apart, "Bloody hell, mate," Killian grumbled, "haven't you heard of knocking?"

Robin was panting as he stood, Little John, Friar Tuck, Mulan and Will Scarlett clamoring down behind him, "What happened?" He asked, "There was this light and what happened?"

Emma straightened with a sigh, trying to adjust her dress, "What are you talking about?"

Killian looked at her, his head spinning at the lilt in her voice. Her hair was no longer nearly white. It once again looked like sunshine. Her complexion was rosy, her lips the pale pink, traces of the red lipstick she'd had on smeared by his kisses. "Swan?" He murmured softly.

"Emma!" Robin beamed.

"Why is everyone saying my name like that?" Emma asked. They were silent for a moment and that was when Emma realized that the magic thrumming through her felt different somehow. She felt lighter. She looked around and Gold wasn't over her shoulder. "Killian?" She asked hesitantly.

He beamed at her, his forehead dropping to hers, "You're back."

She let out another sob, "You saved me."

"Darling, I believe you saved you. After all," he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "you are the Savior."

Her eyes flashed up at the word, "Henry." She stood, nearly tripping in her haste to slip her feet back into her heels, "I need to find my son."

OUAT

Emma found him on Main Street running towards the docks. Regina was frantically chasing him with her parents and Violet. "Henry!" Emma cried out when she saw his tall form.

"Mom!" They came to a stop in front of each other, Emma dragging him into a bone crushing hug.

Regina panted behind them, "Emma, the dagger, it's gone are you"

"She's back." Killian and Robin yelled out together as they approached.

The door to Gold's Pawn Shop flew open and Belle fell out, "Rumple! He's awake and" her eyes landed on Emma and Henry. "Emma?"

Emma looked up and held out a hand, beckoning the young woman forward, "Is he okay?" She asked quietly.

Belle was stunned as she allowed Emma to wrap her in a hug, "You, how did you"

Emma's head turned, she was unaware of all the eyes on her as her own gaze locked with Killian's, "I love him." She stated simply. "I love him and I want to spend the rest of my life with him."

Henry was beaming, "True love's kiss worked?" He asked.

Killian was by their side in an instant, "Aye, lad, this time it did." He pressed a kiss to Emma's temple, "Just promise me that we won't have to use it for a while, Swan." He murmured.

SCANDAL

XOXO

MAS