Once inside the palace, Emma found herself navigating labyrinthine corridors that all looked the same and never seemed to lead her to where she wanted to go. She realized after some time of moving in circles that she was clearly dealing with a kind of magic designed to prevent her from reaching her destination.

She stopped and tucked herself away in a secluded spot behind a pillar and a tapestry, determined to find out what she was doing that was activating the palace's protection charm.

"Where is the pirate?" a voice caught her attention and she peeked out to see an older brunette strolling along with an entourage of staff, "I've heard he's young and I just love breaking the young ones."

"He's in the Queen's chambers, Lady Cora." one of the girls replied.

"Oh? He must be handsome then, she only invites the handsome ones into her bedchamber." Cora chuckled, "Let's go to visit her and her new pet."

Emma grimaced and leaned back into her hiding place, considering what to do. She knew better than to let her emotions get the best of her but she hated the very thought of what might be happening to Killian after the deal she'd made with the Dark One. With her decision made and her mind fixed on her true love, she darted out from her hiding place and began to tail the group through the corridors to the Queen's quarters.

New rooms and staircases appeared when before they'd been hidden and she wondered if it was because her thoughts had been fixed on Regina instead of Killian.

"Regina, dear." Cora called as the guards opened the large, grand doors for her, "I heard you'd gained a pet, do show him to me, won't you?"

Emma slipped into the room behind the group and hid behind a large chest once the guards weren't looking, eager to hear what was going on. It had only been a day since she'd seen Killian so she hoped he was still all right.

"Mother!" Regina exclaimed, striding out from her bedchamber in all her finery, "You can't just come in here with your entourage! I could have been in the middle of something!"

Cora rolled her eyes, "Show me the pirate, dear."

"Hook!" Regina called over her shoulder, her lips pulling into a grin as her captive emerged.

Killian walked casually out of the bedchamber, his hook missing and a goblet of wine in his hand. His clothes were new and practically skintight, showing off his toned body. The only thing that didn't fit the look was his severe expression, revealing that he wasn't willingly in Regina's company.

"Won't you smile for me?" she cooed, reaching up and touching his face.

He turned his head away and his eyes met Emma's. He stiffened when he realized it was her and Emma wondered if he'd give away her hiding place but he didn't, simply looking away instead. His actions pained her and she scooted back behind the chest to gather herself for a moment, closing her eyes and wishing she hadn't needed to break his heart just to ensure they'd both safely arrive at the palace.

"You are quite the specimen, aren't you?" Cora leered and Emma dared to look again, her stomach turning when she watched the other woman run her nails through his chest hair.

"I'm not your plaything." he snapped, shoving her away with his left arm. His sleeve rode up a little and revealed a metal cuff on his brace that kept his magic contained.

"Yes, you are." Cora smirked, sending him flying backwards onto Regina's large bed with a click of her fingers, "Come Regina, let's leave your pet to realize his true situation."

"Coming mother." Regina replied but she hesitated, looking back at the pirate bound to the bed with a wrist cuff, "Be careful, Hook. My mother is not a good enemy to have."

He glared at her but didn't reply, waiting until she'd left and the large doors were closed and locked before he sighed, rolled onto his back and turned his attention on the ceiling.

"Killian." Emma said gently, standing in the doorway of the bedchamber after enough time had passed and she was sure they were alone.

"What are you doing here?" he asked without looking at her, "Shouldn't you have sailed away after your speech last night?"

"I did make a deal with the Dark One but it's not what you think." she replied, slowly approaching him, "I'm so sorry for not discussing it with you first but there was no time, I had to think on my feet."

"So the first thing you thought to do was to sell me back into slavery?" he yelled, sitting up suddenly, "You know what my life has been like and how I would feel about you doing that to me! How could you?"

"I had no choice." she insisted, "Please understand the position I was in. He had you restrained, he could have killed us both! I did the best I could to get us both here in one piece so we can move forward with our plan."

"If I was in that position, I would have never made the choice you did." he said, his voice quiet but sharp, "There is always another way."

"It's easy to judge with hindsight." she replied, moving closer and examining the cuff on his wrist, "Let's do what we need to do first and then we can discuss it."

She reached out to release him from the shackle and gasped when it suddenly jumped from his wrist to hers, a magic restraining cuff appearing on her other wrist too. Burgundy magic surrounded Killian and he appeared at the foot of the bed.

"Sorry, love." he smirked, "It's my turn to betray you."

"What the hell?" she demanded, "You're still wearing that cuff!"

"This?" he smirked, clicking his fingers and watching his magic destroy it, "Child's play."

"What have they done to you?" she asked, staring at him, "You don't seem yourself."

"I'm exactly who I should be." he replied.

The main doors opened and Regina joined them in the room, practically gliding forward and coming to a halt beside Killian.

"I'm impressed, pirate. You said she'd come for you and here she is." she chuckled, "Now, what to do with the savior..."

"I vote we put her in the dungeons with him." he suggested, "He's useless without me."

"Perfect." she agreed with a dark smile, "She'll see what kind of a man he really is."

"A coward." he replied bitterly, waving his hand and sending Emma to the dungeons with his magic.

Emma landed in a cell surprisingly gently. Chains snaked out from the walls and secured her ankles, limiting her mobility and preventing an escape attempt.

"Great." she sighed, sitting down against one of the walls as she considered what to do next. If Killian wasn't on her side, how could she possibly hope to succeed?

"Emma?" a familiar voice called and she turned towards it, making out a figure in the darkness.

"Killian?" she said, "What the hell is going on? You just threw me in here!"

There was movement and Killian stepped into the light, his expression gentle and kindly, unlike what she'd just encountered, "I didn't." he said sadly, "I was given a potion and now there is me and him - Hook."

"They split the darkness out of you." she realized with wide eyes, "Your magic is dark, does he control all of it?"

"Aye." he confirmed, "I keep trying to call on it, but it seems impossible. I'm nothing but a coward now."

He lowered himself to the floor beside her and leaned into her, lacking in confidence with his strong dark half out in the world.

"You're not a coward." she insisted, "You just need to believe in yourself."

"And do what? I can't fight him." he sighed.

"Perhaps you could make a deal with him? You two need to be one so we can do what we need to do." she replied.

He nodded, "I'll try." he agreed.

"I'm sorry for making a deal with the Dark One." she admitted, "I was never really going to leave you behind."

"I know." he assured her, "I trust you."

"Isn't this sweet?" Rumplestiltskin smirked from the corridor outside the cell, "I knew you'd end up as our prisoners eventually."