I own nothing except my delusions.

Emma stood at the edge of the grave, Killian and Henry beside her as they buried Neal. It didn't escape her that all of the funerals she had attended had been in Storybrooke.

She didn't hear any part of the service, only seeing the casket that rested in the open ground. She knew that there was much that was never resolved between her and Neal, a lot that was never said.

Focusing on what was happening, she caught the end of the service, knowing that they would have to then each take a shovelful of earth and deposite it over the closed casket.

Reaching out, she rested her hand on Henry's shoulder, squeezing slightly. She glanced over, seeing Regina in a similar position on his other side.

Henry hadn't spoken about Neal since they told him the news two days before, making both women and Killian worry. They didn't want to push Henry, but they didn't want him to close himself off.

As the service finished, everyone present was still, until finally Killian moved forward, being the first to deposite the earth. Others followed, until just she and Henry were left.

Henry stiffly walked forward, following the example of the others and just leaving Emma.

Steeling herself, she took the small shovel, pouring the dirt with the rest on the coffin.

The attendants began to disperse, heading back to Granny's for the wake. Regina slowly approached her, standing beside her.

"I'll start heading over with Henry," she said lowly. "I have a feeling you'll need a minute."

Emma nodded in thanks as Regina turned and led Henry back to her car, away from the cemetery.

Swallowing, Emma stood at the foot of the grave, staring at the headstone. Everyone had asked Emma to choose the inscription, but she couldn't. She had too many bitter feelings to give him a fond memory, asking her parents and Belle to choose it instead.

She had heard that talking to the dead could be therapeutic, but had never had reason too. Graham was a close friend, and despite his sudden death, she didn't feel that she had anything she needed to say to him. When everyone thought Archie had died, she has only been friends with him, nothing unresolved between them. With Neal, she had a lot she never got to say to him.

"You know, I always wondered what would have happened had you not left me to begin with," she began quietly. "Then I wondered what would happen if you came back into my life. Then I realized it didn't matter. None of it did. You left.

"You told me you loved me, yet you wouldn't even fight for us," she said, her voice growing slightly louder as anger seeped through. "You left because you didn't want to face your father. You left me to take the blame for your crime, all because someone told you to."

She took a breath, trying to calm herself before she continued. "To you, it was nothing. You moved on, and found someone else while I couldn't bring myself to trust anyone because of what you did. Then you accused me of being the jealous ex when I said she was up to something. Yet now that I'm with someone who makes me happy, who will fight for us, you got angry, and attacked me and Killian. How is that fair?

"You hurt me more than anyone else, and on top of that, you hurt Henry. He loved and trusted you, and you broke him when you left. You have no idea how much you hurt him. I never wanted him to be left like I was, and because of you, now he knows that pain. He will forever know that the man who was supposed to be his father left him.

"I might have once been able forgive you for the pain you caused me, but now, I can't. I can't forgive you for what you did to Henry."

She swallowed, willing herself to keep calm. "One of the worst things about all of this is that the only way I got to tell you this is after you've died. I never got the chance to tell you to your face, and you never let me say anything. You always played the victim, or made it like I was overreacting, or that I was being too sensitive.

"I remember in Echo Caves that I said that everything would be easier if you were dead, cause then I wouldn't have to worry about getting hurt again. That is not a healthy relationship."

Reaching into her coat pocket, she withdrew the chain with the silver swan pendant he had given her so long ago.

"I wore this to remind myself to never trust anyone again," she said quietly, looking at the pendant. "I lived in fear of getting hurt again for years. I let it control me. In the last year, I decided I wasn't going to let you have that hold on me anymore. And now because of that, I feel so much better. I have a family, and have someone who loves me just as much as I love him."

She looked back at the grave. "I'm happy now."

Carefully, she tossed the pendant into the open grave where the silver landed on the dark casket.

"Goodbye, Neal," she said, turning away.

Looking up, she saw Killian a short distance away, watching her with sorrowful eyes. She had nearly forgotten he was there, waiting for her. She didn't mind if he heard what she said, knowing he wouldn't hold it against her or be angry, already knowing how she felt.

From his expression, she knew he had heard.

Emma walked to him, taking his hook in her hand as she leaned to him, prompting him to press his forehead to hers.

"Are you alright, Emma?" he asked gently.

"Yeah," she breathed out. "You?"

"Aye," he replied. "I'm sorry, I didn't know if you wished me to go or not-"

She quickly broke him off, shaking her head. "No, it's okay. I just- I just needed to say that."

Killian nodded in understanding.

"Do you..." she trailed off.

"No," he answered, knowing what she was asking. "I don't have anything I wish to say."

Emma nodded, tugging his hook slightly. "C'mon. Let's go to Granny's."

Leaning on the doorframe to the back, Emma watched Henry, worried.

"Has the lad talked to you at all?" Killian asked from his spot beside her, worried.

She shook her head. "No. And from what I can gather, he hasn't talked to Regina, either."

He released a sigh, watching as Henry sat stiffly in a booth with Mary Margaret and David.

"We could take him out for a while," he offered. "We haven't been able to spend much time with him. Besides, it may help to put him at ease, and he may decide to talk."

A weak smile tugged at her lips. "Maybe. But I should should stay here for now. I'm gonna need to plan with my parents. Besides," she looked at him, "I think that despite everything that just happened, he would want some time with his dad."

He nodded, offering her a small smile in return.

"Just please, be careful," she stressed. "Zelena is still out there. If anything happened to you or Henry..."

Killian shook his head as his voice dropped. "We will be, Emma. I won't let anything happen to Henry."

Swallowing hard, she nodded. "I know."

"You be careful, too," he urged her.

"I will," she promised.

He brushed a light kiss to her temple before he moved to talk to Henry.

She watched as he perked up, seemingly happy to go out.

After a quick goodbye and hug from her son, Killian told her they would be at the docks before walking out, Henry at his side.

Walking over to her parents, stood beside them, watching the people in the diner.

"How are you doing?" David asked her.

"Okay," she replied. "I guess as good as can be expected."

Both her parents pulled her into a hug, holding onto her tightly.

Just as she pulled away, the door to the diner crashed open, Zelena walking through. The Dark One's dagger shined bright silver beneath the lights.

Emma was instantly thankful that Killian and Henry left when they did, that they were safe from Zelena for the time being.

"My condolences," Zelena said in a voice dripping with condescension. "I'm so sorry I missed the funeral, but I could never pass up a wake. Oh, did I miss the speeches?" Her voice feigned worry before taking a haughty tone. "Shall I make one? I mean, I am, after all, responsible."

Moving to lunge at her, Emma was held back by her mother.

"Emma, no," Mary Margaret protested. "Too many people will het hurt."

"Listen to your mother," Zelena said as she turned her eyes to Emma. Her eyes suddenly shone with a wicked glee. "But I think we both know you're not very good at that. After all, you've been galavanting around with that pirate the whole time, thinking no one sees it. Tell me, when were you going to inform your dear parents of your unfortunate choice in lover? Or how do you think the town would react, knowing their Savior is off stealing kisses from the man who was once willing to let the town be destroyed to save his own skin?"

Emma felt herself nearly shake in anger as she stared down the witch. She ignored Mary Margaret's shocked stare.

"Leave Hook out of this," she said in a low voice, furious.

Zelena released a laugh as she moved closer to her and her parents.

"Don't come any closer," David growled as he moved to shield his wife.

"Don't worry," Zelena said carelessly. "I'm not here for your baby. Not today, anyway."

"Then why are you here?" Regina asked, annoyed.

Zelena turned to her, smirking. "Now that my cover's blown, I can finally pay a visit to my little sister."

"I'm an only child," Regina immediately responded, her annoyance growing.

Zelena got in her face. "Cora lied to you, Regina. I'm your sister. Half, if you want to get technical."

Emma studied the two women. With Regina's black hair and dark eyes and Zelena's pale blue eyes and red hair, there wasn't any resemblance between the two, save their bad attitudes.

Regina dismissed Zelena with a wave of her hand. "Why should I believe anything you say?"

"Oh, well, you shouldn't," Zelena replied lightly. "It's a lot to swallow. Which is why I've brought a gift to help.

"I don't want a gift from you," Regina laughed.

Zelena stepped closer to her. "Oh, but you shall have it. You see, my gift to you is this sad, sad day. Use it to dig into your past, Regina. You need to learn the truth, and you must believe it. And then come meet me on Main Street tonight. Say... sundown."

"And then what?" Regina smirked.

"Then I'll destroy you," Zelena responded, a sudden maniacal look crossing her features.

Not intimidated, Regina leaned forward. "This isn't the wild west."

Zelena just shook her head. "No, dear. It's the wicked west." She turned to leave. "And I want everyone to be there to see the Evil Queen lose."

Regina gave her an evil grin. "I don't lose."

A menacing look spread across Zelena's face as she laughed. "Neither do I. One of us is about to make history. See you tonight, sis."

Laughing, she walked out of the diner, chaos ensuing as the door slammed behind her.

"You and Hook?" Mary Margaret asked, rounding on Emma. "Why, Emma? And why didn't you say anything?"

Before Emma could answer, the dwarves swooped in.

"You're the Savior," Leroy said expectantly, staring at her. "So do something! Save us!"

Instantly feeling a migraine start to come, Emma released a hard breath. Her and Killian's relationship was out in the open, everyone knew before she got a chance to tell them herself. She didn't even get to tell her own mother. The town was even unhappy, not trusting Killian still despite what he'd done in Neverland.

She knew before she did anything else, she had to talk to him, to make sure he and Henry we safe, as well as tell him not to come back into the town.

She made to walk away from the crowd surging on her to the back of the diner, pulling her phone.

"Emma," her mother admonished.

"I need to make sure Henry is okay," she said, her tone letting everyone know not to interrupt her as she moved to the back.

Killian placed his phone back in his jacket, anxious as he glanced over at Henry.

As much as he hated it, he knew he would have to lie to keep Henry from wanting to go back in town. He also knew that as much as it killed him, he couldn't be with Emma to help her against Zelena, needing to keep their son safe.

"Is everything okay?" Henry asked him.

Moving to join him on the docks, Killian nodded as he hitched his satchel further up his shoulder. "Yeah, your mom just wanted to check in on us."

Henry nodded, believing him. "So what are we gonna do?"

Killian smirked as he led him to a spot on the beach.

"Well, we're gonna wait for night to fall, and that way I can teach you more on how to navigate," he said as they came to a spot for bonfires.

Nodding, Henry grabbed some of the wood from pile set beside them, helping to set it up to build a fire.

Watching him, Killian wondered if Henry would be willing to talk to him, to open up. He didn't want to push him, but a lot had happened in the past days, mainly Neal returning and dying.

He started the fire, the orange flames offering warmth from the chilled air.

"Dad?" Henry spoke up after a while.

Killian turned to look at him from where we was arranging the kindling. "Yeah?"

Henry swallowed nervously. "Can I talk to you about something?"

"Of course, lad," Killian responded, nodding encouragingly.

He watched as Henry breathed in deeply.

"I know I'm supposed to be sad," Henry admitted in a small voice. "But, I'm not. The only thing is, I'm angry. I'm still angry at Neal. I know everyone wants me to be sad that he's dead, but..."

Killian nodded in understanding. "You've already mourned."

Slowly, Henry nodded, staring at the flames. "I mean, he left. And even though she's never told me, I think he hurt Mom before, too."

Killian felt his chest ache for the boy, knowing exactly how he felt, memories of his own father coming to mind.

"I don't know how it would have been if I had gotten to see him again," Henry continued, conflicted. "I know you and Mom wanted it to be my choice, but I don't know what I would have chosen."

He turned his eyes into Killian. "You told me that your father left you and your brother, but if you could have seen your father again, would you have?"

Feeling all of the air leave his chest, Killian couldn't help looking away from Henry. Emma knew the truth about Brennan, but Henry never knew. He didn't want to taint his relationship with the boy he saw as his son, but he didn't want to lie to him.

Not realizing how long he'd been staring at the flames, Henry's voice broke him from his internal war.

"Dad?" he asked.

Keeping his eyes down, Killian scratched behind his ear as he blew out a heavy breath, knowing what he had to do no matter how much it hurt.

"I never told you the whole truth," he admitted quietly as he sat on the log opposite Henry. "When my father left, he sold my brother and I into servitude. He was a wanted criminal, and sold us to save himself. He was put under a Sleeping Curse soon after he left, so he survived for the entire time I was in Neverland. He was woken by his nursemaid."

He heard Henry's sharp intake of breath, but he continued, deciding to leave out Regina's involvement completely. He knew it wouldn't change what he did. "I found him working in a tavern one night. I spoke to him, and I thought we could reconcile, but I found that he hadn't changed. I killed him for revenge. I killed my own father, and it haunts me to this day."

Terrified, Killian listened, waiting for a reaction. When he heard none, he tentatively looked up, seeing Henry, his expression lost.

"Your own father sold you?" he finally asked.

Killian nodded, waiting.

"But you were just a kid," Henry said weakly.

"It's no excuse," Killian responded quietly.

Henry continued to look at him, sadness tinging his features.

Unable to take the silence, Killian looked back to the fire, his voice low as he spoke.

"Lad," he began. "Henry, I understand if what I just told you changes things. I know I wasn't forthright before. For that, I am sorry."

"But you're different now," Henry said, sure of his words. "It you feel guilty about it, it means you're not the same as you were. You changed, and became part of this family."

Killian couldn't believe what he was hearing, that Henry didn't think any differently of him. He stared at the boy in amazement.

Standing, Henry walked around the bonfire to where Killian sat, sitting beside him.

"You're still my dad," he said definitively.

Unable to help smiling weakly, Killian reached up, ruffling the boy's hair affectionately.

Peering down, he saw Henry looking suddenly uneasy, unsure of something.

"What is it, lad?" Killian asked him, worried.

Henry shifted uneasily. "Um, I know what you just told me was hard to talk about, but do you think you can still teach me navigation?"

Feeling at ease, Killian relaxed, smiling. "Aye."

Glancing out at the sky, he saw the first faint lights of the stars breaking through the inky blackness. Reaching into his satchel, he pulled his old sextant, the one Belle had found in Gold's shop and returned to him.

Talking to Henry and showing him the various constellations, he hoped Emma was okay.

Sitting at the table in her parents' loft, Emma's head snapped up as she rose from her seat as the door opened, Killian walking through with Henry. She rushed over, pulling Henry to her and hugging him tight. She felt some of her anxiety begin to dissipate, holding her son and knowing he was safe.

"You guys are okay," she sighed, pressing her nose into his hair.

Regina's fight with Zelena had shaken her, adding to her already frayed nerves. She had been worried before about Henry and Killian, but seeing how Zelena had commanded Gold but her on edge.

"We're okay, Mom," Henry said as he nodded, hugging her back. He pulled back, looking annoyed and slightly angry. "Are you okay? Why didn't you say anything?"

"Don't be mad at your dad," she whispered. "Me and your other mom wanted you to stay away where you were safe. None of us want you anywhere near that witch."

He nodded once before pulling away, hurrying over to Regina.

Killian stepped closer to her, pulling her to him. Both knew that everyone knew about them, and neither cared about everyone's reactions for the moment as they wrapped their arms around each other, holding each other close.

"Are you alright, love?" he asked in a low voice, his fingers threading through her hair.

She nodded, feeling his scruff scratching against her cheek. "Yeah. We're fine."

He released a shaky breath as he pulled away, looking at her.

Resting her hand on his cheek, she stroked along his scar. Her voice was light. "Hey. I'm okay."

He nodded.

Mary Margaret's voice drew their attention to her. "Emma, I think we need to have a talk."

Feeling herself tense up, Emma turned away from Killian to look back at her mother, apprehensive. She had avoided talking about the past year for the time being, everyone waiting to see if everyone was okay, but knew she couldn't put it off any longer.

She saw Mary Margaret's hard gaze, knowing what was to come.

"A family talk," Mary Margaret emphasized, looking pointedly at Killian.

Emma understood what she was saying, Killian wasn't welcome.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him shrink slightly, the banishment hurting.

She felt her anger rise; Killian was a part of her family with Henry. He was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

As he moved to pull away, Emma held onto him tightly, preventing him from leaving.

"No," she told him. "You're a part of this family. You have the right to be here."

Giving her a sad smile, Killian shook his head. "Swan, I don't wish to leave, but I fear I may make things worse."

She blew out a hard breath, accepting.

"I'll be waiting for you back at our room at Granny's," he told her.

Nodding, she pressed a loving kiss to his lips, not caring about their audience.

Killian gave her one last look as he pulled away, gently squeezing her hand before he walked out the door.

"Emma," Mary Margaret called, her tone starting to sound impatient.

"What do you want me to say?" Emma asked, turning to look back at her parents and Regina. "Hook went with us when we had to leave. We fell in love and started a life together. He's one of the most important people to me. You all had lives the past year. We did, too."

"I know what Neal did, but Emma, Hook?" Mary Margaret asked, irritated. "And you couldn't even tell us?"

"I tried," Emma retorted, her temper rising. "I tried to tell you multiple times, but something always happens. Ever since we came back, we haven't gotten a minute to just breathe."

Mary Margaret crossed her arms over her chest. She'd never snapped at Emma before, but Emma wasn't going to feel guilty or back down.

"Don't you think that you're seeing someone is kind of important?" Mary Margaret asked. She sighed, frusterated. "I know that you guys had different memories, but it wasn't real, Emma. This is."

Scoffing, Emma set her hands on her hips, ignoring David, Henry, and Regina's uneasy expressions. "We never forgot anything. Everything for us was real. The year we spent together, none of it was a lie. Everything that happened between Hook and me is real." She took a deep breath, knowing she was about to drop a bombshell. "He's asked me to marry him, and I've accepted."

She saw her mother's shocked expression, knowing that she wasn't too happy at the news.

"You and David are known to share a great love," she continued. "So why is it so hard to believe that I've found someone who loves me and makes me happy? Hook has given up everything for me. He loves Henry as his own, and has even become a father to him. We had a good life in New York. Even now, he has stayed by my side, helping me."

"You weren't the Savior in New York," Mary Margaret replied. "Things are different here."

"Yeah, they were different," Emma nodded, her voice low. She felt everything bubbling to the surface, begging to be released. "I didn't have to worry about a witch running around there. I was just a mother and fiancée."

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to steady herself as she felt everything coming at her at once. "You know what the worse thing is? Most of the year, I wouldn't even let myself be completely happy because I thought that if I was, I would be giving up on everyone. And I was so terrified about being forgotten and replaced, I even had nightmares about it. All I wanted was to have my family back.

"And when I finally get back, everyone just expects me to break another curse and beat another villain. I'm nothing but a Savior to everyone. I can't have my own life."

Unable to meet everyone's shocked eyes, she looked down at the old wooden floor, her throat tight, but her decision was made. "It was a mistake to come back. If this is the price, I can't do this. If not this witch, someone else will go after my family. I'm not risking Henry or Hook. I'll defeat this witch, then that's it. After this, I'm taking Henry and Hook, and we're leaving."

"Emma, hold on," David scrambled, trying to calm her. "You belong here with us. Hook belongs here. Would he really want to just leave here?"

She swallowed, hard. She knew that wherever she went, Killian would follow. If she were unhappy, he would do anything to make her happy, all because she would do the same for him.

"We made lives somewhere before," she said quietly. "We'll do it again."

"Emma," Mary Margaret said, her fire gone.

Needing to leave, Emma shook her head. "I can't."

She glanced over at Regina, seeing Henry standing beside her. Silently, Regina nodded, telling her Henry would be safe with her.

Emma walked over to Henry, pulling him into a tight hug.

"I love you, kid," she said into his hair. "I'm so sorry about this."

Henry was silent, hugging her back tightly.

Guilt shot through her, knowing she hurt him, but she couldn't remain in Storybrooke if the price was him and Killian. She refused to put them in harm's way.

"You're safe with Regina," she murmured as she pulled away.

He nodded, his voice quiet. "I love you, too, Mom. And Dad."

Giving him a sad smile, she turned, going out the door to the loft and into the night.

As soon as she stepped into the chilled night air, Emma felt her emotions threaten to take hold of her. She felt overwhelmed and lost along with a touch of guilt, the pressure of everything crashing down on her.

For the first time since she decided to let herself be happy, Emma felt like a lost girl again.

She climbed into her car, turning over the engine to go back to the bed and breakfast where she knew Killian was waiting for her. She took comfort in knowing that even when everything was falling apart, he remained.

She needed him, to have him hold her, to give her something she could hold on to.

Blindly, she drove, coming back to where they were staying. She left the Bug, quickly entering the bed and breakfast and hurrying back to their room.

Killian looked up, immediately reading her mood as she stepped through the door into the confines of the room.

"Swan," he said, worried as he pulled her further in.

Not responding, she nestled into his chest, resting her head in the crook of his neck as she rested her hands on his chest and back. His arms immediately enveloped her as he backed them up onto the bed, sitting down on it before he pulled her into his lap.

He waited for her to talk, knowing her conversation with her mother had not gone over well.

"I think this was a mistake," she finally whispered. "I know what's expected if me, but I can't risk you and Henry. I can't stay here. And I can't give you up."

"Hey," he said gently, looking down at her. He didn't speak again until she looked up at him. "I'm not going anywhere, love. I'm not leaving you."

"Killian, you didn't see it when Zelena told everyone about us," she said brokenly. "A lot of people weren't happy. They said you were a distraction. She paraded you around like you're a villain."

"I was a villain," he reminded her. He gave her a small smile. "Until one amazing lass reminded me I could be a part of something."

She released a shuttering breath, her emotions overwhelming her. She knew that with everything going on, it was hurting him, too. "I know, but you're so much more than all that. I... I can't do this. Here, everyone sees me as nothing but a savior."

Feeling his chest tighten as he saw her eyes water, Killian nudged her head up with his, kissing her lightly before resting his forehead to hers.

"I've never seen a savior," he told her, his eyes doing nothing to hide his love for her. "All I see is the woman I love. All I see is my Emma."

Emma felt her throat and chest tighten as a few traitor tears escaped. She loved him, more than she could ever say.

"I love you," she told him.

She closed the distance between them, kissing him deeply, needing him. He responded in equal measure, giving her what she needed. He held her tightly, nearly crushing her to his chest.

A single sob escaped her when they finally broke apart, their need for air burning their lungs.

Emma felt like everything was crashing down on her, that she was on the verge of losing everything she cared about. She needed a reprieve, anything to give her something to forget everything, everything except her and the man she loved more than anything.

"Make me forget," she pleaded softly. "Please."

Leaning forward to close the distance between them again, Killian captured her lips in a bruising kiss. His tongue ran along the seam of her lips, prompting her to grant him entrance as he swallowed her small moan.

He pulled away slightly, his voice husky as he spoke. "I love you, Emma. No matter what happens."

Carefully, he raised his hook, slashing her blouse open but never touching the sharp metal to her skin. They made short work of each others close, their need for the other consuming them as their lips met in a frenzy.

He shifted them back so they lay on the bed, never breaking their kiss as they clutched on to each other. The feel of each other's skin against their own helped to give them the comfort and stability from everything they needed, knowing that despite everything, they were each other's anchor.

Teaser: Biting her lip, she shook her head, her eyes downcast. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea, anyway."

He pinched his brow in confusion. "What do you mean, love?"

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