The lash struck again.

The same place.

The same bloody place.

Killian cried out, fighting the chains holding him still.

He blinked open bleary eyes to Hades, standing before him in the throne room. Hades was no longer amused with him. He stood, hands clasped behind his back, face set into a glare.

One of Hades' minions struck Killian with the lash again, and Killian cried out.

Again.

"This isn't quite enough," drawled Hades, dissatisfied.

Killian's vision flickered. When it cleared again, Hades was now wearing a smile, and Killian fear struck his non-existent heart.

Two of Hades' minions now held Emma, struggling between their arms. She was spouting off curse after curse as she fought them, cusses more crass any pirate Killian's ever known, but her struggling was futile.

"Emma," breathed Killian, phantom heart racing. He fought the restraints with everything he had. "Don't you bloody touch her!" he growled, voice rough and ragged.

"I think," said Hades, "we need to try a different tactic, Captain." He snapped his fingers, and the man who had been behind Killian with the lash walked around him, advancing on Emma, who paled.

"Killian," she whispered fearfully. She looked at him, absolute panic in eyes that were filling with tears.

"Emma," he gasped. He jerked harder. "Don't touch her!" He jerked harder. "DON'T TOUCH HER!" he screamed, but his restraints held him fast—the realization that she's the second woman he'll have been unable to protect—and the man with the lash stopped behind Emma, smiling sadistically. "Emma!"

"Killian!" she cried, eyes locked onto his, tears falling down his face. "Killian!"

He fought and fought and fought. Hades just walked to him, each step growing that horrible smile on his face. "I'm going to hurt her," he whispered, stopping in front of his face. "I'm going to make her suffer. Because of you, Captain. She's suffering because of you."

Killian felt his eyes burn.

"Killian!"

Hades turned, and gave a nod to the man with the lash. He reared back.

"EMMA!" screamed Killian.

The man slashed the lash through the air.

"Killian!"

Killian jerked, eyes flying open.

Pain was everywhere.

Emma was in front of him, her face inches from his, her worried eyes searching his. Her hands were on him, one on his less-injured shoulder, one on his newly-healed cheek.

He was breathing hard, and bloody hell it wasn't helping the broken ribs. His eyes screwed shut, and he used every bit of wavering strength not to scream. Everything hurt. Everything hurt. Flinching re-awoke pain he'd forgotten was even there and bloody damn hell it HURT.

But the fear running through him forced his eyes open, his gaze flicked around, seeing the cave, the platform, the ominous glow of the River of Lost Souls lighting the room. Then, back to Emma.

"Killian?" asked Emma shakily. "Are you okay? You passed out, I couldn't… wake you up…" Her voice trailed off, fear bright in her eyes.

It was a dream.

Killian briefly shut his eyes, his mind replaying the dream—the nightmare. It wasn't real. Emma wasn't hurt.

He let out a shaky breath.

The memories sluggishly came back to him.

Nearly having fallen victim to the River.

Emma catching him, saving him.

Then…

Hades.

He and Emma were trapped.

Emma.

"You get to watch your beloved savior die."

Killian felt his eyes burn.

She was going to die here.

She was going to die, she was never going to see her family again, because of him.

"Killian?"

Emma's voice was frantic now, her hand on his cheek trembling a little.

Killian opened his eyes.

Her eyes searched his. "Are you okay?" she breathed.

He went to nod shortly—the move reflexive, because no part of him was okay—not daring to speak, barely keeping a lid on the pain. But even the little movement made his head pound. His vision flickered. Bloody hell. His adrenaline was gone. He clawed desperately onto consciousness. He would not leave Emma here alone.

Emma seemed to understand what was happening. Her voice took a more frantic tone. "Killian? Killian, stay with me," she said quickly. "I have some energy back, I can heal something... What do you want me to heal?"

Everything.

Gods, everything.

Everything already hurt before Hades' latest attack, but that… when Hades dropped him to the ground… something had just…

Snapped.

The last bit of his strength, the last of his flimsy hold on the pain had severed.

Killian could hardly relive the memory of that feeling.

It was finally a kind of agony he couldn't manage. And why unconsciousness hadn't come, he'd never understand. The limits this body of his had was so different from when he was alive. But the moment Emma had healed the ribs had felt like cool water over a burning fire. And finally, he could breathe, every breath no longer a white-hot dagger to his chest.

He could still feel a fire in his torso, more ribs that were still broken, but at least they weren't pressing on-or into-his lungs. Something in his chest hurt with every breath, and he was afraid of what could be broken there. Though it was far less painful than the ribs Emma had healed, and he tried to revel in being free of that at the very least. The shoulder wound burned and scraped from the touch of the very air. His head pounded and he felt inexplicably weak. But it was his leg that still hurt just as much as everything else combined. It scared him that he didn't exactly know which injury hurt worse.

However, he didn't regret having Emma heal his left eye earlier as opposed to something that hurt more. Not seeing her properly had hurt plenty.

"Killian?!"

Emma's panic made him open his eyes, making him wonder when he closed them. Gods, he was so bloody tired.

They shut again.

"Hook," stressed Emma. She sounded scared. The use of his moniker surprised him, making his eyes open. He could see a little, shaky smile on her face when she saw she had his attention. "That's it," she said quickly, panic still in her voice. "Tell me what to heal," she whispered breathlessly.

"L-leg," he rasped, finally getting his voice to work. It was still rough from what felt like months of screaming. The limb in question made him want to physically chop the bloody thing off, though from experience, he knew that only brought a different kind of pain.

He didn't know he closed his eyes again until they flew open the moment she touched his knee.

Killian couldn't help the cry, jerking when her fingers touched the destroyed joint. Her feather-light touch hurt nearly as much as when Hades broke the damn thing, and he breathed hard, clenching his teeth, trying not to pass out.

Somewhere beyond the pounding in his head, he heard her talking to him, whispering something, something sweet and soft, even when her voice shook.

But as quickly as the fire built in his knee, something that felt like cool water seeped into his skin, settling between every break and fracture in the bones. Emma's magic. It felt like water on a wildfire, everything her magic touched turning the sharp, hot agony into cool relief. His eyes shut, this time out of bliss, and he felt himself breathe out, relishing in it.

Killian felt Emma's fingers suddenly touching his ankle next, making him gasp sharply, the fire reigniting, making him claw the fingers of his right hand into the ground. But just as quickly, he felt the coolness of her magic begin to heal it. Gods, her magic felt like heaven. It moved slower than it had with his knee, and dazedly he realized it was Emma's energy that was running low.

But only a moment later, the fire was doused.

Relief.

Tears sprung to his eyes.

He'd forgotten what it felt like.

"Thank… you," he whispered, opening his eyes. He was still exhausted as all hell, his upper body burning a fire almost as hot as his leg had been, but he was free of the worst of the wretched suffering and he was going to relish in it.

When he saw Emma, his attempt at a grin faltered. She was staring at his now-healed leg, tears in her eyes.

"Love?" whispered Killian, voice so tired it was barely audible.

"Your leg wasn't broken, Killian," she whispered, looking at him, absolute heartbreak in her eyes. "It was like the bones were… were crushed," her voice broke.

That explains why it hurt like the bloody devil.

Emma reached for his hand, taking it in hers. It made him gasp when it stung, and she turned it over to see the burn from the cell bar in his palm. "What..?" she whispered, eyes even more tortured.

Killian tiredly shook his head. Emma was scared enough, she didn't need to know everything. Hell, Killian wanted to forget everything. "It's… not important," he whispered.

"Like hell it's not," she said, her voice wobbly with tears again, and dammit, Killian couldn't stand seeing her cry. She hovered her hand over his palm, a faint glow emanating from her fingers, but it fizzled out before reaching his skin. She swayed, making Killian's eyes widen.

"Emma?" he asked suddenly, the thinnest thread of adrenaline jumping into him.

She caught her balance, blinking slow. She breathed out sharply, frustrated. "I can't heal anything else right now," she explained, eyes shutting. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"It's all right," said Killian, meaning it. "You've done the… worst of it," his voice dropped a little, feeling the horrible sharp pain at his back and in his abdomen, the very air scraping the shoulder wound—but his leg had still been the worst, and he was grateful to be free of that pain. It was a little frightening that he could still hurt this much, yet the worst of it was gone. He still shook, and at this point he didn't know if it was from the pain or how bloody exhausted he was.

Emma didn't say anything, just looked from the wound on his hand to where his shirt still hung open, eyes raking over every injury, her face growing more tortured the more she looked. For the first time in his life, Killian Jones felt insecure under a woman's gaze. He prided himself on his appearance, but if he looked as bad as he felt…

Trying to get that horrible, haunted look out of her eyes, Killian tried, "He hasn't knocked the handsome out of me… has he?"

His comment did its job, making Emma smile a watery smile, and she cupped his face again, thumb brushing across the newly healed skin, one of the only places of him that wasn't bruised or bloody, and she said, "Nobody's that powerful."

It made him smile too, closing his eyes to the feel of her touch on his skin. He lifted his own hand, laying it over hers, his own thumb stroking the back of her hand. He slid his hand down to her wrist, having missed her so damn much. Through their touch, he could feel her pulse under his fingers.

Her pulse.

His smile faltered, and he opened his eyes, his thumb resting over her pulse, feeling her heart. Killian shut his eyes. "I wish you hadn't come for me," he whispered, his voice broken and scarred.

Her face fell. "What do you mean?" she asked in a small voice.

Killian took her hand from his face, holding it in his, even when it made the burn wound sting. His thumb still rested over her pulse, feeling it race a little faster. "You shouldn't be trapped here, love," he said, the words painful. Tears returned to his own eyes. "You should be with your family."

"I am," she said, and Killian opened his eyes, seeing tears in her eyes and a smile at her lips, and warmth he hasn't felt in ages flooded his broken chest. He couldn't fathom a response.

"It's you and me, Killian." said Emma firmly, that brilliant smile of hers nearly melting away his pain. "I love you," she said, her smile growing, like she was happy to say the words, no longer hiding them behind walls of steel. "I refuse to live a life without you."

Killian blinked, absolutely touched.

Overcome.

But the guilt and the fear clawing at him overrode it all. "Emma—"

"Killian," said Emma firmly, "you've done so much for me. You helped us find Henry even when it meant you had to return to a place that scared the crap out of you. You outran a curse to find me in a place you knew nothing about—and I still don't know how you did it," she said, stressing it like she still couldn't believe it. "You followed me into that time portal when you didn't have to, you saved me again and again and again, and I still don't know why you chose me." A tear rolled down her cheek. "You deserve someone to follow you to the ends of every realm, transcending life and death and everything in between." She smiled something equally broken and whole. "I'd follow you anywhere."

"I'd go to the end of the world for her. Or time."

Killian blinked, his eyes burning.

Absolutely struck speechless.

When he still couldn't find his voice, Emma went on, "I knew the risks of coming after you and I regret nothing." She smiled, tears shining in her eyes. "We will get out of here. I'm not sure if you've heard, but hope runs in my family, and I never give up. Someone once told me I have yet to fail… and I intend to keep it that way."

"You will get your son back."

"You think so?"

"I've yet to see you fail."

Killian couldn't help a smile, even when a tear slipped down his cheek. "I love you," he whispered.

And, slowly, Emma leaned over and kissed him, her lips gentle and light. His eyes shut, something deep inside him suddenly feeling whole again.

Months.

He hasn't felt that kiss in months.

Emma pulled back, and he opened his eyes to see her smile.

Gods, he loved seeing her smile.

He let out a breath. He may not forgive himself, might not be sure if he ever could, but he was going to get Emma home somehow. He wouldn't rest until he did. But it would help if he wasn't so bloody tired, actively fighting the dark ebbing at the edges of his vision.

He watched Emma shut her eyes, rubbing her temple, looking almost as exhausted as he felt.

Worry of his own in his voice, he asked, "Love?"

But she opened her eyes, smiling tiredly at him, saying, "Only you would be sitting there covered in blood and be worried that I'm okay," she said, her voice trying to sound light but only coming out shaky. "I'm just a little drained," she said with a reassuring smile. "You don't have to keep worrying about me."

But he did.

It reminded him of just how much he did.

"Emma," he said suddenly. "Do you know how long you… have?" He had no idea how time worked down here, and he didn't even know living souls could visit the Underworld, let alone his long they could survive here.

Emma bit her lip. "I don't know. Gold told us that time moves slower here. But he didn't tell us how slow..."

The Crocodile.

A fragment of the conversation Emma had with Hades, that he'd been semi-lucid for, slipped into his mind.

Both of them mentioned the Crocodile.

Killian's phantom heart picked up in speed.

Why was he suddenly getting a terrible feeling about this?

"Emma," he said carefully, "how did you get here?"

"Gold," she said, though the moment the name was out of her mouth, her eyes widened a fraction and she looked instantly like she felt she shouldn't have said it.

Killian went still. He'd heard her mention Rumplestiltskin earlier, but not that he had gotten them here. And if he did… that meant…

"Emma," he said, voice low and absolutely tortured, "how did the Crocodile get you here?"

Emma winced, and Killian felt his blood run cold.

"He…" Emma shut her eyes, looking like she hated the words. "He found a way to take all the power you tried to destroy and now it's all…" Her eyes cautiously found Killian's stricken ones- "...his."

His sacrifice.

His bloody sacrifice.

His eyes shut. "Bloody demon," he hissed.

Emma's hand was on his arm, saying quickly, "I know, I know," she whispered, voice pained. "God, Killian, I hate him so much. But he helped me get to you," she breathed, eyes shutting. "It's the only reason I haven't thought about pulverizing the bastard." When he still didn't open his eyes, her grip on him tightened a little, but her fingers were still lacking strength. "But it doesn't take away the fact that you did save us. And what you tried to do… it was… heroic."

Tried.

Never has a word hurt him so deeply.

With great, great, effort, Killian shoved aside his hatred for the Crocodile, knowing that going down that road never, ever ended up well, and just tried to selfishly relish in the fact that Emma did find her way to him somehow.

But he was suddenly reminded of something else she and Hades had mentioned.

Someone else, who had helped her find him.

"Milah," he breathed, his eyes opening. He looked at Emma, seeing something in her eyes change. "You said… Milah…" His voice wouldn't work.

Emma smiled sadly. She nodded. "To get down here… Gold had to use a soul's dead aura so that we could pass through to get to you." Her sad smile grew a little. "He found Milah. She wanted to help you." Emma's hand on his arm tightened a little, but Killian felt nearly numb. "I could tell how much… how much she loved you," she whispered.

Killian felt his eyes burn.

Milah had been here.

All this time.

She had been here.

Trapped under Hades' reign.

Killed because of him, and now damned because of him.

And now she would never find peace.

Emma's hand found his cheek again. His eyes opened. "She asked about your life," she said, a broken smile tugging at her lips. "She was happy you were happy. She loved you, Killian," said Emma, tears in her eyes, and Killian felt emotions start to overwhelm him. "And as someone who loves you," said Emma, smiling softly, "I know that if anything happened to me," her voice caught, but she kept on- "I wouldn't blame you for a damn thing. Ever. And the only thing that would hurt me would be to know that you weren't happy after I was gone. I know she feels the same. She wanted you to be happy. She wanted to save you, Killian." She smiled sadly. "We have to get you out of here so her… so her death wasn't in vain."

Killian breathed out as emotional pain that was somehow more agonizing than all the physical pain built and built into something that just hurt.

And suddenly, Emma's arms were around him, gentle and tender, and he allowed the tears to fall, letting the sob wrack his chest even when it made every injury hurt worse.

And he cried, for the love he lost, the love he spent over two hundred years failing to avenge who would now never, ever be at peace.

And for the fear that the same fate would befall the very woman in his arms.