Ohhhhhhh the part we've been waiting for. ;)

~cosette141

Though Icarus trusted that Hades wouldn't know they'd escaped, Emma didn't want to take the chance. She wanted to get them the hell away from here as quickly as possible. They weren't safe yet. She couldn't rest until they were.

She shut her eyes, fighting the overwhelming tiredness, the strong pull to sleep, and tried to reach for her magic to poof them home.

Except...

There wasn't energy left to reach.

Blasting through the wall used up every ounce of magical energy she had (and almost all of her non-magical energy, by how dazed she still felt); they were going to have to at least start on foot.

"I don't have the energy to poof us home," said Emma, giving Killian a winced look. "We're going to have to walk back to town."

Killian had been gazing tiredly at the foliage around them, looking like a captive seeing sunshine for the first time.

Emma's heart hurt.

At her words, Killian nodded, letting out a breath and bracing himself to move again. They gripped each other tightly, both of them clinging to nothing but raw adrenaline, and started walking through the forest. Without the little strength she'd had before freeing them, Emma felt like her own weight was too much for her to handle. But Killian's scream echoed in her head again, and she tightened her grip, holding onto every bit of strength she had left in order not to fall, and absolutely not to drop him.

Emma didn't recognize this part of the forest, only making her think that they were very far from civilization. Great.

As they walked, Killian suddenly asked, "Town?" he echoed, like he was just hearing what she'd said minutes ago. "There's a—" He grunted when a step jarred his ribs. Emma winced in sympathy. "There's a town here?" he managed.

"You haven't seen it?" asked Emma, wincing when her head spun a little as she sidestepped a branch in her way.

"When I di—" Killian's voice cut off, but it wasn't from physical pain. Emma felt guilt sink deep into her bones. "When I got here," he said instead, grunting again with another painful step, his grip on her shoulders tightening, "I woke up… in a cell," he finished breathlessly.

Emma felt her heart twist.

He never had even one moment of peace since the moment he died.

She wanted to kill Hades.

Emma swallowed, trying to shove all the emotions away. "Hades made the Underworld to look like Storybrooke," said Emma, panting now. "According to him, he has his reasons, and he doesn't have to share them with us."

Killian's brows weakly rose. "It looks like Storybrooke?"

"A twisted version of it," said Emma, trying to duck under a branch, wincing when she couldn't avoid it scratching her cheek. "It's a carbon copy, down to our houses. My parents' house is here; it's been our sort of home base ever since we got here."

Something unreadable passed through Killian's eyes. "I hope your… family is all right," he whispered, grimacing with another step.

Emma felt fear flit through her. "Me, too."

Killian suddenly tripped over a root in the ground, and Emma had to catch him fast, her grip making him groan. Clenching her teeth, because holding him was hard enough work when she wasn't completely drained, Emma barely managed to get him back to his feet. She held him tight when she did, both of them breathing hard.

Emma looked at him, his jaw clenched tighter than she's ever seen it. "We just have to make it back to the loft," she whispered, breathless. "Then you can rest and Regina can heal you. Okay?"

A testament to how terrible he must feel, he just cracked open his eyes and nodded.

They walked in silence for a while, Emma scanning the ground almost obsessively for anything that might trip Killian. But after a while, she felt a little of her magic flare back up. Not much, but it was something. Now that she didn't have to constantly fight the presence of the darkest of dark magic, her magic was returning a bit faster than it had been. She smiled an exhausted smile.

She tiredly lifted her head, seeing the tall trees of Storybrooke's woodland like New York skyscrapers around them. "I'm going to try to poof us as far as I can," she said, stopping them. Killian was panting hard now, his arm wrapped tightly around his ribs, and he nodded without opening his eyes. Emma shut hers, thinking of a spot in the Storybrooke forest she at least recognized that wouldn't be too far for her magic to take them.

White smoke enveloped them with the familiar pull of magic yanking deep in her gut, and Emma opened her eyes, stumbling backward, grateful a tree was right behind her. She leaned against it for a moment, holding Killian tightly to her, trying to blink away black spots from her vision. After a moment, they faded, and she blinked open her eyes, feeling hollow with weakness. But she smiled despite it.

She knew where they were now.

They were where Robin Hood and the Merry Men camped out.

Town was less than a half hours' trek away.

Emma gave Killian and herself a moment to rest, but the fear that Hades was coming after them was a fear that wouldn't stop gnawing at her. So, before she felt ready to even think about walking, they were walking again, and Emma herself was struggling not to trip.

By the time they reached the edge of the woods, Killian's steps were dragging and his grip on her hurt. Emma winced under his hold, trying to fight her own weakness. She was running on pure adrenaline and desperation now, and would not stop until they were home. Until they were safe. Until she could wipe every ounce of pain from him once and for all.

Once they emerged from the woods, Emma swallowed, seeing people walking in the distance. She didn't know how many spies Hades had; it was probably safer to avoid Main Street.

Hating that she was making their trek even longer, Emma led them to one of the side streets, finally finding themselves walking on concrete.

Killian tiredly opened his eyes at the change in ground, and he blinked at the town. "Bloody… creepy," he commented shallowly.

Emma nodded, grimacing. "Tell me about it."

Now that they weren't tripping over roots and uneven ground, they were making progress faster. Emma felt her heart beat faster and faster as they got closer to the loft, glad she decided to choose nearly deserted streets, just in case.

And finally, finally, they were walking down the street to her parents' home.

As they started down it, Killian suddenly leaned even more heavily on her, to the point where Emma felt all of his weight. Her heart jumping into her throat, Emma stopped to catch him, faltering badly under his weight.

His eyes were shut.

"Killian?!" He looked seconds from passing out, if he wasn't already unconscious. "Hey," she said quickly, shaking him a little, making him wince. Emma's heart pounded. "We're almost there. I… I can't get us there on my own," she whispered, tears stinging her eyes, but she was relieved to see his eyes crack open. "It's just a few more steps, then you can rest, I promise..." she whispered desperately.

Killian whispered a very quiet apology as he got back to his feet, and Emma felt her heart rip into shreds. "That's it," she whispered, pulling him after her. Unsteady, but upright, he did his best to follow.

Emma held him even tighter as they staggered down the street, and she couldn't help the involuntary smile when she saw the building appear. She pulled Killian a little faster.

Home.

They were home.

Or, as close to home as they could get in the Underworld.

Emma pulled open the outside door with her free hand, and eyed the stairs warily. Deciding that was impossible, Emma shut her eyes, reaching for the sliver of magical energy she had left to poof them to the top of the stairs.

Her magic was so low in energy they made it one step short, and Emma had to grab the railing to keep them both from falling. With great, great effort, they managed to walk up the last step.

Emma felt her smile return, seeing their door, and she dragged Killian with her. She grabbed the door knob, suddenly afraid no one would be there. Her heart beating impeccably fast, she tried to turn the knob, but it was locked. Sighing, she raised her fist with what felt like the last of her physical strength. She pounded on the door.

Not a second later, Emma heard something shatter like a glass hitting the ground, and then the door ripped open.

"Regina! Did you find—"

Snow froze.

Her jaw fell open as she stared at them in utter shock.

"Emma!" she breathed, throwing herself at her daughter, grabbing her in the biggest bear hug, making tears spring to Emma's eyes.

"Hi, Mom," said Emma, her voice small and cracked because they were home, they were safe, it was okay now.

"You're okay," whispered her mother, holding her so tight Emma could hardly breathe. "You're safe, oh, my god, you're okay."

Snow pulled back, hands still gripping Emma's shoulders firmly like she was afraid she'd vanish. "David!" she yelled. Snow suddenly looked at Killian. Her relieved smile grew. "You found—!" Her words froze, and something like horror clouded her eyes as she took in his appearance. "Killian!" she breathed. "Look at you," she whispered in a voice that sounded as tortured as Killian was.

He smiled a very strained grin. "I'll be… all right," he managed.

Footsteps pounded down the stairs as David came from the second level of the loft. "Is Regina—" he began quickly, but he froze at the bottom of the stairs, eyes widening at the sight of them. "Emma!" he exclaimed. He ran, grabbing Emma in a hug just as crushing as the one her mother gave her. Emma smiled over his shoulder, relief flooding her. He pulled back, looking at Killian, who was still shaking like he was hypothermic. "Hook," he breathed, relief in his voice until his eyes took in Killian's injuries, and he suddenly had the same horrified look that Mary Margaret had. "Let's get him to the couch," said David quickly.

"Get…" breathed Killian, wincing sharply as they took a step, voice cutting into a groan. "Get Emma water," he finished breathlessly as Emma helped him into the apartment.

Emma couldn't help the broken smile because he never stopped putting her first, did he? "I'm okay, really," she said, meaning it. Thirst was an afterthought at the moment. All she cared about right now was getting Killian healed, and then home.

But even as she said the words, adrenaline was failing her, and she faltered under his weight.

"I've got him," said David, swooping in before Emma accidentally dropped Killian. Carefully, Emma slipped Killian's arm from around her shoulders to David's.

However, David wasn't expecting Killian to be holding so little of his own weight. He staggered under Killian's weight, his other arm moving fast to hold Killian around—

"Wait!" said Emma quickly. "Be careful with his—"

But she was too late, and David grabbed Killian tightly around his back.

Killian cried out, his voice cutting abruptly, his legs collapsing under him. David managed to catch him before he hit the ground. "Hook?! Hook!" David shook him a little, but Killian didn't move. David whipped his head up to Emma. "What'd I do?!"

"He—" Emma felt tears burn her eyes again, the sound of Killian's pain still like a sword through her chest. "There's something wrong with his back, I don't know what but—" She hurried to help David move Killian to the couch.

Snow went quickly around the other side of the couch, situating the pillows. "Lay him down," she instructed. "Carefully." David managed to get Killian on the couch, laying him gently on his chest over a few of the pillows. Emma quickly detached his hook and put it on the coffee table behind her.

Emma knelt beside Killian's head, her hand on the healed side of his face, turned toward her. "Killian?" she asked shakily. "Can you hear me?"

His eyes remained shut.

David knelt beside her. "He's out cold." His eyes tracked the blood and gashes that covered every inch of him. "Holy shit," he breathed.

Snow gasped lightly, her hand hovering over the open wounds in Killian's neck and shoulder. She looked at Emma, tears in her eyes. "Hades did this?" she whispered.

Emma nodded distantly. Here, in the light, he looked so much worse. The gruesomeness of it was so much clearer, making her lose her breath. The lack of color in his face, the blood dripping—

David seemed to notice it at the same moment Emma did. He carefully touched the tips of his fingers to a rip in the back of Killian's jacket that was saturated with blood. When he pulled his fingers back, they were dripping with fresh blood. "He's bleeding pretty heavily," he whispered. He looked at Emma. "He didn't say what..?"

Emma shook her head numbly. "He—He didn't talk about… about how—how he got any of it," she said shakily. Feeling the short-lived relief at returning home leave her, Emma reached her trembling fingers for the collar of Killian's jacket. In this light, she could see just how torn and dirty it was, and she could also see how much blood was leaking through the rip in his jacket.

Emma carefully tried pulling his jacket off him, but blood from whatever gash was in his back had dried to it, making it snag. Not wanting to reopen the wound any more than it already has been, Emma shut her eyes, using the little magic she had to magic the jacket off of him, transporting it to the floor next to her.

Emma heard her parents' gasps before she opened her eyes.

Her heart stopped.

His entire back was an open wound.

The criss-crossed pattern of gashes that drew lines from his shoulder to his hip left no room for imagination.

He'd been whipped.

And by the look of it, hundreds of times.

Emma stared in shock, horrified.

His back was almost completely raw. The strikes were concentrated most in his upper back; she couldn't even see his skin between the dried and fresh blood. His shirt lay in shreds, hanging in torn pieces, the material barely having survived. Fresh blood spilled from the reopened wounds.

His nightmare in the caves snuck into her mind.

His fear.

The sheer pleading in his voice.

Emma didn't even know tears were falling down her cheeks until she felt her mother's trembling hand on her shoulder, but Snow couldn't tear her own eyes away.

"Oh, my—" breathed David, stricken.

Emma felt more tears burn down her cheeks. "He—he said I healed the worst of it," she whispered numbly.

She'd thought she'd healed the worst of it.

She wasn't even close.

"He had more than this?" whispered her mother in horrified disbelief, her face whiter than her namesake.

Emma lifted her shaking hands. She reached for the scrap of magical energy she had, grateful that healing open wounds was less taxing than healing bone, and she concentrated her magic over the worst, rawest of the wounds.

Her magic wavered several times before finally coming through. A sliver of warmth was left, and she grabbed it desperately, like wringing out the last drops from a damp cloth.

Killian's skin began stitching slowly back together until she could see new, unmarred skin form over the grotesqueness.

Emma managed to heal almost his entire upper back before she swayed, her limits so far past reached, and her hands fell, her eyes falling shut. She would have fallen if not for David catching her.

"Emma!" he whispered worriedly, pulling her carefully back upright. Emma shook herself, trying to erase the dizziness, and lifted her hands again, her fingers shaking harder, but her magic wouldn't even come. She growled in frustration.

Something like a broken sob wracked her chest. "Where's Regina? I... I don't have enough energy to heal the rest," she choked out.

"She left a few hours ago with Robin and Henry," answered David hollowly. "The three of them have been spending all of our daylight hours as a search party to find you, Hook or Gold. Snow and I wanted to be here in case you found your way home," he said, his own eyes glistening with emotion at the fact that she did. He looked back to Killian, that stricken look back in his eyes. "They won't be back until dark," he said reluctantly.

Emma sniffed, lifting her trembling hands again, trying to get her magic to work. But nothing was there. She shook them out, trying again. Nothing. She was drained. Completely, finally, drained.

Snow's hands covered hers. "Emma, sweetie, rest."

"But—"

"Emma," she whispered. "You healed more than half of it," she said with a smile that didn't reach her eyes, because even though that was true of his back, it was barely a dent in the injuries he had everywhere else. "The rest of the cuts are superficial. He'll be okay," said Snow gently.

"But," tried Emma again, weakly trying to pull her hands free.

"Emma," said David softly. "You know Hook wouldn't want you passing out trying to heal him."

"I don't care!" More tears were falling. "Did you just see that?!" breathed Emma. She couldn't unsee it. The image of his back, replaying all the times in the caves when something merely touched it and his face had gone white—"I healed so much of him already and… and he still had that?!" She was crying now, unable to hold it back. "H-He's still in so much pain and he's s-suffered so much and I can't heal it—I can't fix it—I can't—"

David pulled her to his chest, and she cried into his shirt, letting the sobs wrack her chest, letting the tears burn, letting out everything she's held in for so damn long. "He's dead, Dad," she whispered brokenly, her body trembling with fatigue and pain and a terrible hollow feeling in her chest.

"Shh," he whispered, his hand gently running over her hair, holding her tightly, and Emma couldn't help more tears falling. "It's all right, baby." And for the first time in her life, she felt like his daughter. His little girl, who just wanted her dad to make everything okay. "You saved him, Emma. And we're going to bring him home. I promise."

Emma clung to him, desperately holding onto his words, letting out the breath she'd been holding since she found Killian because they made it and they were safe and she finally didn't have to save Killian alone.

a/n: the comfort train has left the station. fasten your seatbelts. we've got plenty more of a ride to go. ;)

~cosette141