Author's note: So my beta rated this a 9.8 on the angst level, saying that the tiny bits of fluff gave it some padding.

I own nothing except my delusions.


Walking into the shadowed hall, Emma saw the guards standing watch over the area, blocking her path.

"Leave," she commanded them, stepping close to them.

They quickly looked at each other before looking back at Emma nervously.

"On my orders, I'm telling you to leave us," she said in a firmer tone.

Deciding not to push her, they swiftly departed, leaving Emma to finish walking into the dark dungeon. Glancing back to be sure the guards had left, she briskly walked in, looking for Killian.

She found him in the final cell, the one that once held Regina, leaning his back against the stone wall. With a pang, she saw his coat and hook missing, having been confiscated with his weapons. A dark bruise had formed on his jaw, evidence of where Grumpy had hit him.

He perked up, instantly alert when he saw her.

"Swan," he breathed out, jumping to his feet to rush to her. "What are you doing down here?"

"I couldn't leave you," she said softly, going up to the bars. The tears she'd been holding back all day and night finally broke free, the wet streaks falling down her cheeks as she felt her heart ache, pulling her towards him. Her voice broke. "I'm sorry, Killian. I'm so, so sorry. I tried."

"It's alright, Swan," he said gently, reaching through the bars to wipe away her tears. "It's alright."

She pushed her own arms through the bars to hold him to her the best she could as he rested his brace on the small of her back, embracing each other the best they could with the barrier between them.

"No, it's not alright," she sobbed. Her shining green eyes met his blue. "I failed you."

"Failed?" Killian asked, astonished. "Emma, you saved me. You saved me from myself. You gave me something I'd never had before. You gave me my life back."

"If I'd just left back in Rackham, you wouldn't be here," she responded, her voice wavering. "You would be able to live and be free."

He shook his head gently. "No, I wouldn't. I wouldn't have been free. I wouldn't have had anything but revenge still, and I wouldn't have cared if I lived or died. You gave me something to live for."

He leaned forward, brushing his lips over her forehead before leaning his own against hers. Emma closed her eyes, wanting to be close to him.

"I've lived for three centuries, living for nothing but revenge," he told her gently. "I should have died a long time ago. I don't know if I believe in fate, but I do believe that I was supposed to find you. Emma, the time I had with you is the best I've ever had. I don't regret anything, because it led me to you. We've already gotten more time than we should have."

"That's not true," she said.

Opening her eyes, Emma saw Killian's shining eyes looking at her with love and sadness.

"I can't do this," she whispered. "I can't let you die, Killian."

"I accepted my fate when we knew we had to bring Leo back here," he told her, stroking her cheek. "I'm not afraid to die. I'm only afraid of losing you."

"What about our future together?" Emma asked him brokenly. "We were supposed to be able to live our lives together."

"I'll just be happy you'll have one," he told her. "Even if it's without me."

She shook her head in defiance, sobbing. "That's not enough for me!"

"It has to be," he responded sadly.

"I can't go back to the life I had before," she replied. "Killian, I can't. I need you."

"You have to," he told her softly. "Emma, I took you away from your home, away from your family. You can have it all back now."

"I don't want to pay the price for it," she protested weakly. "I don't want a life without you. I can't lose you."

"You'll never lose me," he promised. "I'll always be with you."

Tears still streaming down her face, Emma broke further, her grief overwhelming her. She tilted her head forward, capturing Killian in a kiss. He responded to her, trying to hold her closer but unable to.

When she pulled away, Emma saw that he had tears of his own falling.

"Just remember that I love you," Killian told her fiercely. "I always have, and will until my final moment. And if there is something after this, I will love you then. I always will."

She removed one of her arms from its awkward position on his back to rest against his face, gently caressing along the scar that rested on his cheek with gentle strokes of her thumb as he leaned into her touch.

"I'm just terrified of what will happen to you because of me," he confessed in a low voice.

"It doesn't matter," she replied. "I don't care what happens to me. Not without you."

"It does, I don't want anything to happen to you," he replied. "Especially because of my actions."

"No matter what happens to me, it's worth it," she told him. "Loving you is worth it."

"No, it's not," he responded sadly. "Not if you end up disgraced, all for loving a pirate."

"For you, it is," she pressed. "And if that does happen to me, I will gladly take the repercussions."

"Emma," he sighed.

"I love you, Killian" she told him, tears still streaming down her face. "I'll never stop loving you."

Killian moved forward, kissing her desperately. Emma understood, she shared the same need, the need to be with him while she still could.

He held her as tight as he could when he pulled away.

"Just promise me something," he requested. "If I helped take off that armor, don't put it back just because you're gonna lose me."

Unable to deny him, she nodded. "I promise."

He gave her a weak smile.

"I'll stay with you," she promised. "I'll stay with you until the end."

He shook his head in protest. "No, Emma. As much as I want it, it would make things worse. It would be too hard. And I don't want your memories of our final night together to be of prison bars separating us."

She bit her lip until he ran his thumb over it, releasing it.

"I'm just supposed to let you stay in here by yourself?" she asked weakly.

"Aye," he responded. "You have to leave me down here."

Closing her eyes, she pressed her forehead to his as she felt a fresh round of tears coming.

Killian pulled back, releasing his hand from her face to reach for one of the chains around his neck. Emma immediately felt the loss of the contact. He pulled the chain over his head, holding it out to her.

"Liam's ring," she said quietly, looking up at him in curiousity.

"I always thought it was lucky," he told her, his eyes intent. "That it was what let me live for so long. Maybe the luck has run out. But I want you to have it. At the very least, as a reminder that I will always be with you and that I'll always love you."

Nodding, she accepted the ring, slipping the chain over her own head.

"Thank you, Killian," she said. "For this. For loving me. For everything."

He offered her a weak smile. "I think I should be thanking you. You gave me another chance, and made me the happiest I've ever been."

She gave him a watery smile in return that didn't reach her eyes.

Killian swallowed thickly. "You have to let me go."

She shook her head, her voice weak. "I don't know how to say goodbye."

"Then don't," he replied, giving a weak smile.

Hesitating for only a second, Emma kissed him, pouring everything she could into the kiss. She wrapped her arms around him the best she could while he did the same, holding his hand to cradle the back of her head, their tears mixing together.

When the kiss ended, too soon for both of them, they rested their heads together, breathing the other in, just as they always had. She saw the love and grief in his eyes, knowing it was reflected in her own.

"I love you, Killian," she told him. "More than anything."

He nudged her nose with his. "I love you, too, Swan."

She smiled weakly at the nickname as she reluctantly pulled away, her chest aching.

Killian grabbed onto her hand, bringing it up to his lips. They held on to each other's hands until she was too far away for them to remain contact, their eyes locked the entire time.

As she walked away, she thought of every memory she had of him. All of the words spoken between them. All of their touches. All of the times he taught her to fight and sail. All of their shared meals. All of their kisses. All of the nights that she slept in his arms. All of the times they made love. All of their promises to each other. All of the times they said they loved each other.

Blindly, she exited the dungeon, leaving her heart behind.


Teaser: Killian nodded gratefully. "Thank you. That's all I ask."

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