I didn't edit this one recently either, I'm sorry! I edited months ago, but didn't do it today. i still have no motivation to edit, which sucks, so I figured I should just post the chapter.

It's based in episode 16 of season 5, right after David and Snow leave the loft to talk to baby Neal using the Underworld phone booth.

At Last

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Emma questioned, looking between her parents anxiously. "The Underworld isn't exactly safe."

David put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We'll be fine, Emma."

"Spend time with Hook," Snow said in a low voice, glancing at the pirate standing a few feet back. "You've barely had time to breathe since you rescued him."

A soft smile rested on her lips. "Yeah." She straightened up. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Snow said with a note of finality. "We'll be back soon."

Emma nodded and pulled her mother in for a quick hug. "Be careful." She moved to her father. "You, too."

"We will," he assured when he stepped back. He grabbed his wife's hand.

"Tell him I said hi?" Emma asked, a hopeful smile on her face.

"Of course."

Emma felt Killian's hand on her back and sent him a soft smile.

"Careful," he added.

David rolled his eyes, but smiled nonetheless. "All right. Bye."

As Emma watched her parents walk out of the apartment, she couldn't help the uneasiness that swirled in her stomach. She knew her parents could take care of themselves, but that didn't calm the panic that came with the thought they could be hurt like Killian had.

"You okay, Swan?"

His voice drew her out of her thoughts, helping to ease her anxiety. She looked up at him and let out a breath. "Yeah."

The smile he returned chased every worry from Emma's mind before something flashed across his face, making his smile waver for a brief moment.

Her eyebrows knitted together. "Are you okay?"

He nodded, glancing away. "Aye, love. Just a tad worried about your parents."

Though she knew he wasn't exactly lying, she frowned. "Come on." Her hand wrapped around his and she pulled him to the couch. When they sat, she positioned herself so she was facing him completely. "Talk to me."

He studied her for a moment. He wanted nothing more than to enjoy this time alone with Emma without worrying about the world outside the door, but he knew he couldn't if he was still at war with the thoughts in his mind.

"I'm overjoyed you're here, Emma. I truly am, but I can't help but fear something will happen to you or your family whilst we try to save me. If anything happened to anyone, to you, I…I would never forgive myself."

Emma's chest tightened. She squeezed his hand. "Killian, if something happened to one of us, it wouldn't be your fault. Everyone chose to come down here. You didn't force them to."

He averted her gaze, instead looking at their entwined hands. "I'm aware. It's just…." He turned back to her, hand going to her cheek. "I can't let what happen to me happen to you." He rested his forehead against hers, soaking in her presence.

She didn't know what to say. She wanted to reassure him, but they both knew she couldn't promise anything. Every minute they were down here was another minute they could all be harmed.

He pressed on before she could think of what to say. "I only just got you back. I can't…" He swallowed. "I can't lose you again."

At the sound of his broken voice, she knew what to do. She pulled him to her as a sob wracked his body. His hand wrapped in her hair as he buried his face in her neck. Emma's heart ached knowing all the pain he'd kept down the past couple days, the past week, perhaps longer. She didn't know how long it had been since she had to say goodbye to him in Storybrooke, the days following had been a blur. The funeral, the condolences, the unbearably long nights—she barely remembered any of it. Her first clear thought after he had fallen to the ground had been hearing the dagger's call. She could barely recall Henry's almost constant presence, her mother's cooking and soft words, her father's warm arms holding her in a comforting hug. She'd let herself fall apart on a daily basis, often failing at composing herself before Henry entered the room.

The days had been long, but the nights even longer. She'd lie awake, staring at the ceiling until her body couldn't cry anymore or sleep overtook her. The entire time, no matter what she was doing or where she was, she had Killian's ring. She'd grip it in her hands, letting it dig into her skin until it hurt.

When she had learned Killian's sacrifice had been in vain thanks to Gold, she had wanted to scream and break every item in his stupid pawn shop that always seemed to remain untouched after a crisis, unlike her family. She had known right away that she needed to get him back. He didn't deserve the fate he'd been given. He died a hero, but Gold had taken that from him.

The idea of seeing Killian again had given her so much hope that she was surprised she hadn't floated all the way back to the loft where her family was waiting. She could tell they were skeptical of her plan, but she knew she had to try. Killian was coming back, she would make sure of that.

She'd found him only a day ago, and each minute had been full of conflict that had given them barely a chance to breathe. Now, all she wanted to do was sit and enjoy being with him, but she knew it wouldn't be that easy.

It killed her knowing Killian had gone through so much the last several days by himself.

"You won't," she whispered, threading her fingers through his hair. "I'm not going anywhere, Killian." And she meant it. Any villain could walk through the door and she was sure they wouldn't be able to take her away from the man in her arms.

Killian sucked in a breath and leaned back, staring into her eyes. "I love you, Emma. I love you so much, more than you could possibly know. I love you more than there are stars in the sky. I can't lose you again."

Emma couldn't lie that his words sent a spark of fear through her. She knew he didn't expect her to repeat the words back to him, he'd told her so on multiple occasions, especially when they were in Camelot. Though Emma had said it once before, the thought of being consumed with darkness had kept her from saying it back. Now, she knew the only thing holding her back was the walls she had come to hate.

"Everything is going to be okay," she assured, caressing his cheek. Tears blurred her vision. "We're together now."

"Aye, but for how long? Even if we get out of this cursed realm, who's to say another villain won't take me away, won't take you away? I'm sick of every force being against us. For once, why can't we have a break? Who's bloody idea was it to keep throwing threats at us?"

The anger in his voice caught her by surprise, but it shouldn't have. She felt the same way. The universe never gave her a break, never gave her family a break. She knew it would always be that way, but why did it have to be? Part of her mind screamed that it was unfair while the other said it was completely reasonable considering where they were all from.

She shook her head. "I don't know, Killian. But I do know I don't want to face those threats without you by my side."

He gave her a small smile. "Me neither."

For a moment, she just stared at him. It amazed her she had been able to go the few days she had gone without him back in Storybrooke and come out sane.

"What is it, love?" he asked softly, swiping a lone tear from her cheek. "What are you thinking?"

She smiled sadly. "Nothing, really." When he gave her a knowing look, she continued, "It's just…" She focused her eyes on a corner of his jacket. "After I…killed you"—she winced—"I didn't think I would ever see you again. I could barely stand at your funeral. I couldn't even watch as they lowered your cof—" She choked and quickly shook her head. "I missed you so much."

He knew that if he had a beating heart, it would be breaking right now. He'd done the one thing he swore he would never do to her—abandoned her. He was certain Emma would deny that. He hadn't wanted to leave her. He knew she knew that, but that didn't negate the fact that he had left her alone. The sins he'd committed when he had been the Dark One made him sick. Thinking about the things he had said to her when his mind was poisoned made hatred for himself course through him.

He kissed her tenderly. "I missed you, too."

She sat there, head resting against his for several minutes. It wasn't until Killian kissed her again that she pulled back. She smiled at him. "Can we just…be happy? No sad talk. Just happy. Please?"

He chuckled softly. "I'd like nothing more. Tell me, Swan, what would you like to talk about?"

Her grin widened. She leaned back on the couch, laying her feet in Killian's lap. "I need to teach you how to cook."

He scoffed. "Pardon me, love, but, if my memory serves me correctly, and it usually does, I'm the one who needs to teach you how to cook."

"Not uh. You haven't even tried my homemade cookies."

He snorted. "Henry's told me about your homemade cookies. You buy the dough in a container and then bake them. I hardly call that homemade."

"Hey, I make the cookies at my house. I used my oven."

Killian scowled. "Don't speak of that foul box."

Emma threw her head back in a laugh, and Killian realized how long it had been since he'd seen her so carefree. He knew it wasn't going to last, not with the situation they were in, so he vowed to make her smile as often as he could while they were down here.

I hope you enjoyed that chapter! I'm really sorry if there were any typos.