A/N: Hi Everyone! I hope you are all having a great week! I just wanted to take a quick moment to say thank you for the support I have received from the last chapter. As always, please don't forget to favorite and/or follow this story so you can be alerted for updates. I hope you enjoy the chapter. Afterwards, I would love to hear your thoughts, comments, and suggestions that can help to make this story better. Well—enough about me. Here we go—Chapter Six!
Disclaimer: If I owned anything from OUAT, I'd probably be living in Disney World :)
Chapter 6
As a child, Emma Swan longed for the day when she would have a family and finally feel like she belonged. The countless changes in addresses, the numerous foster homes and families failed to ever give her a sense of home. She spent many nights praying that one day, things would be different.
That hope for change and for a happy ending is the root cause of why Emma always runs. All of her life, she ran away from her past, trying to forget the taunting, the lies, the crime, and the broken relationships that leave their scars on her. But after breaking the Dark Curse, it wasn't long before she met someone else who began to tear open those old wounds.
From the moment she found Killian Jones under a plank of wood, Emma's walls began tumbling down. A light, something she never felt before, began to shine in her life. For the first time in years, Henry, her parents, and Killian helped her find what it means to love and be loved.
"Why are you so scared of staying? I think it's because you can see a future here, a happy one."
"Let me guess—with you?"
Emma repressed her feelings for the pirate and his gifts of worth and love then, but now, she wants that future. She is ready to stop running. She wants to find and enjoy her happy ending with the man she loves. There is just one problem.
Killian Jones, the man she loves, doesn't even remember she exists.
"Emma? Emma who?" he questions. "Answer me!
"Emma Swan," she answers, her heart shattering.
"Wait a minute—I know that name," Hook realizes. For a moment, Emma's spirits rise only to fall at the Dark One's rage. His squinting sapphires send shockwaves into Emma's soul when he sneers, "You're the Swan girl who left me to die!"
"What are you talking about?"
"I helped you get back to your son, and what did I get in return? You chained me up and left me to die at the hands of the angry giant!"
"Killian—"
"No! Stop using that name!" Hook shouts. "Whoever you think I am, well, I'm not!"
"I didn't leave you to die. I—"
"What? You chained me up because you liked me? How romantic."
"That was a long time ago!" Emma responds, clearly shaken by Killian's demeanor.
She knows the darkness is the echo behind his words. It twists his mind and tells him countless lies about her. It startles the Savior that the pirate seems to be unable to remember the past two years. Emma tries to be brave, desperate to see what Belle saw in Gold when he was the Dark One. But staring at the man she loves and seeing nothing but darkness and hate in his eyes feels like agony.
"For me—Witch, it was yesterday."
Lily stands quietly situated next to Emma, but realizing the kind of torment the pirate puts her friend through, she becomes impatient.
"Okay, that's enough!" Lily decides. Before Emma realizes it, Maleficent's daughter swipes the dagger from her hand and aims it at the pirate. "Okay, Dark One. Go inside, stay there, and be quiet."
Instantly, Hook's lips seal themselves shut and he reluctantly retreats into the structure. As he saunters by the Savior, he flashes a devilish smile. His smirk kicks the wind out of Emma.
"Lily!" she groans. "Why did you do that?!"
"You can thank me, later," her friend replies. "We need to talk."
Taking Emma by the arm, Lily leads her inside the house. As they head towards the back rooms, Emma steals a glance at Hook twisting his attached weapon and giving her a wink. He accomplishes getting under her skin and seems to indulge himself in the feeling. She tries to hide the pain in her features from the Dark One.
When Lily reaches the bathroom, she drags Emma inside and slams the door shut. When she clicks the lock, she hands Emma the dagger.
"Here, you can have it back. And next time, could you stop your pirate before he rips out my heart?"
"Lily, I had to know."
"What? That he's capable of killing me? Because the the burning in my chest and the bruises on my back prove that."
"No, I needed to see whether or not if he actually would. I needed to see what the darkness did to him."
"Well it did a number on him. He hates you."
"That's not Killian," Emma responds, wiping a tear at the corner of her eyelid. "It can't be. I just don't understand. Why doesn't he remember me?"
"I told you, Emma. The darkness affects people differently."
"But it's strange," she says. "It seems like he can't remember the past two years or any of his time in Storybrooke."
"Well, at least we know he can't get to Merlin with us holding his dagger. We can control him and make sure he won't hurt anyone."
"No, I don't want to use the dagger on him unless it's necessary."
"Why?" Lily questions. "So you can be bullied by him? He just manipulated you out there. A minute longer and you would've melted into a puddle of tears. Do you think the moment he opens his mouth that he's going to stop? Right now, he will do anything to get the dagger. So, please, tell me why you think it's a good idea to not use it—"
"I don't know!" Emma responds, before calming herself down. "I just—I want to believe that the Killian I know is still in there."
The Savior leans her weight against the vanity. Her breaths become shallow as she attempts to calm herself. In the mirror her tough persona and exterior deteriorate before her very eyes. She hates how the Dark One chisels away her impenetrable armor, her protection from hurt and pain, one piece at a time.
Lily, the last person Emma expects to even care, grabs her hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze. "Emma, listen to me. You have got to pull yourself together. You cannot fall apart because that is exactly what Hook wants, what the darkness wants."
"He doesn't even remember me," the Savior mumbles, staring into mirror. "After everything we've been through, he only sees me as the girl who left him at the top of a beanstalk."
Lily grips Emma's shoulders and shakes her, saying, "Then make him remember you, the woman he loves."
"How?"
Some days, Regina Mills wishes that Storybrooke stayed under the Dark Curse. During that time period, everything remained under her control. She stuck her hand in everything, keeping the town quiet and peaceful.
But those days are a distant memory. Between juggling her troubles with Zelena, her relationship with Robin, watching out for Henry, and now having Maleficent screaming in her face, Regina just tries to hold herself together.
"Maleficent—please calm down," Snow begs.
"Calm down?! It was your daughter who started this in the first place!"
"Hey!" David shouts. "Do not talk about our daughter that way!"
"Well it was—"
"Quiet!" Regina cries. "All of you! None of this fighting is going to help us get to Emma or Lily."
"She's right," Snow realizes. "If we spend all of our time arguing, we're never going to reach Merlin in time."
"Thank you," the Queen nods. "Now, instead of bickering, we should work on getting to them."
"And how are we going to do that?" David asks. "Emma just took our only guaranteed way to Merlin."
"Regina, can you think of anything else we could use besides the wand?" Snow asks. "A spell? A potion?"
"Like those would be any help!" Maleficent scoffs. "You need a portal, not a potion. I may have been trapped below the clocktower for many years, but from what I've seen, it's not like there are any magic bean farms around here."
"Well in case you haven't noticed, we're trying to find another way; one that doesn't need to be grown from a seed."
"Good luck with that," Maleficent frowns.
Her reaction causes Regina's inner anger to boil. "Like you have a better idea."
"Actually, I do."
"Really?"
"Oh please Regina, are you that rusty with your magic? I suppose the alternate reality really did mess you heroes up."
"What is that supposed to mean, Maleficent?"
The former Queen of darkness' eyes roll. "Well if you don't have the wand, there are other ways to get across. Regina, didn't you ever keep a pair of magical slippers for a rainy day?"
"I'm afraid when I went to Magic-Mart they were all gone," Regina answers, a hint of disgust in her voice.
"Such a pity," Maleficent responds. "Cause not only do magical slippers cross realms, anyone wearing them can also take the people holding their hands."
"Regina can you make some?" David asks.
"Only the elves make the special shoes," the sorceress explains. "They rarely show themselves, but once, they helped the Shoemaker make a few pairs of magical slippers that could transport a person to any realm."
"I don't remember ever seeing elves registered in the census records," David notes. "Mary Margaret and I searched through them a couple of months ago when we tried to locate Anna of Arendelle."
"That's because they're mostly extinct," she tells him. "If there are any elves left, they are likely in the Enchanted Forest. But the slippers could be here."
"Who would have them?"
"I think I know," Regina says, catching everyone's attention. "Zelena. She would have them."
"But why?" Snow questions. "If she has them, why wouldn't she have used them to leave Storybrooke?"
"Because of the magical cuff," Henry realizes. "Her magic must be tied to the shoes. She's been locked up since the moment you came back from New York. Without her magic, she can't go anywhere."
"Then we need to find them," the former princess declares.
"Alright," David says. "We'll take Henry and search her farmhouse."
"But David, she hasn't been there in weeks."
"It's worth a shot," he replies. Not wanting to waste any time, David takes his wife by the hand before he heads back to their pick-up truck. Henry shoots a glance at his mother, questioning where her head is.
"Go ahead, Henry," she tells him. "Call me if you find anything."
"Thanks Mom," he smiles, stealing a quick hug before he chases after his grandparents.
Regina watches as the Charmings leave to find the slippers. Before long, the crowd of spectators disperse and return to their normal lives. How Regina envies them.
"The shoes are not at the farmhouse."
The mayor perks up and turns around to discover Maleficent still standing by the empty lot. "Oh great! I'm left with Mrs. Optimistic."
"I'd say I'm more of a realist."
"Could've fooled me," Regina says, her eyes rolling.
"I'm just trying to help."
"But I don't want your help! None of us do! We've wasted precious time dealing with arguments that you started. All you're good for is creating more stress."
"Well, you wouldn't have to worry about me if it wasn't for Miss Swan!" Maleficent barks.
"Oh here we go." Regina's eyes roll.
"I literally just found my daughter, only to have us both be thrown into some psychopath's twisted reality. I spent my entire time in human form trying to find her. Now, just when I get her back, she's gone. Do you know what that feels like? To find your child only to lose them again?!"
Regina's mind travels back to her memories of saying goodbye to Henry. When Pan's Curse hit Storybrooke just after reuniting with him, a piece of her died when she let Henry go. She nearly put herself in a sleeping curse just to rid herself of the torturous pain.
"So—forgive me if I am just a little upset that my daughter is gone and I cannot get to her."
Regina stares at the empty lot. Though she and Maleficent may never fully understand one another, they both share a love for their children.
"I'm sorry," Regina says. "I do know what losing a child feels like, but there are bigger things at play here. Now, I will do everything in my power to help you find your daughter, but stopping the Dark One is my first priority."
"Well, you're not going to do that by standing here or looking for the slippers in an old farmhouse."
"Why are you so sure they are not at the farmhouse?" Regina asks.
"Because Lily told me that your sister lived in New York for over six weeks. Regina, do you really think she would've left that kind of magic in Storybrooke? Would you?"
As much as talking to Maleficent makes her toes curl, Regina admits that she has a point. She can't believe it comes to this. For now, Maleficent and Regina remain on the same side, only because they both have people they care about trapped in another realm.
Regina maintains her focus to get to Emma. She knows that Emma is strong, but silently fears that her feelings for Hook may be the Savior's undoing. If fate switched their places, Regina doesn't think she could kill Robin to protect everyone else.
No matter what it takes, she must get to Emma. Though she doesn't care for Hook, she owes him, and Regina hates owing people. He inadvertently saved her from the darkness.
Knowing that she spent years indulging in her dark desires, Regina understands and despises the power of the darkness. While it may not seem so in the midst of it, she knows that the darkness never satisfies. It never brings a person their happy ending, only pain and a lifetime of hurt.
"We need to talk to Zelena."
"Oh, I agree," Maleficent answers. "But being something of a witch, myself, I know that getting your answers from her will cost you."
"That's what I'm afraid of."
As nightfall casts its shadow over Camelot, a mounting pressure falls on Emma. To her, the Apprentice's house slowly caves in on her. She spent the last several hours trying to assuage her panic and combing through the Apprentice's collection of books. She needs something, anything, to help her free Merlin.
As she reads, Lily stands guard in the living room with Hook while Emma supposedly sleeps. Lily volunteered to take the first watch because the Savior refuses to look at the Dark One as long as she can help it. She doesn't want him to see her in her weakened and emotional state.
Why can she not retreat into herself? Why can she not tell herself that the man that lounges on the sofa in the living room is just another criminal who skipped bail? She spent many nights in the same room with her criminals and listened to their vocabulary of harsh words and curses intended for her. Their words hurt at first, but she eventually learned to tune them out. So, why can she not do that now?
"You're the Swan girl who left me to die!"
How hilariously cruel it is that Killian only remembers her chaining him up at the top of the beanstalk. What he cannot understand is why Emma left him there. If she knew the giant intended to murder Killian when she left the fortress, the Savior never would've left him.
"I can't take a chance that I'm wrong about you."
Emma remembers when she first met Killian Jones, her first observations surmised that he was an arrogant, insolent, and flirtatious pirate who only wanted to take advantage of her. He seemed to be a drunkard who only cared about getting his precious revenge.
But she was wrong.
There were hints of the man Killian Jones used to be before the Dark One took his love. He saved Aurora's heart, he came back with the bean and traveled with her to Neverland to save Henry. Everyday since the beanstalk, Killian proves to her more and more that he is not the notorious pirate she thought he was. Instead, he is a man who loves her.
"I'm a fan of every part of you."
She tries to be like Belle. She wants to see the man behind the beast. She wants to look past the hate in Hook's eyes and forget how much pleasure he took as he prepared to kill Lily. She wants to find Killian, but it is so hard. A part of her wonders if she reached Camelot in time to save the man she loves. Is she too late? Did the darkness steal every part of the man who breaks down her walls?
Unlike her parents, hope is not her first inclination, but remains her greatest weapon. With even the possibility of rescuing Killian from the darkness, she must try. He gave up everything for her, even if he doesn't realize it; and if it comes to it, Emma prepares to do the same.
"Knock, knock," Lily whispers, opening the door to the bedroom. Her eyes roll when she sees the bed still untouched. "Really Emma?"
"I can't sleep."
"Well, neither can our pirate," Lily tells her. "He looks exhausted, but he didn't even try to sleep."
"Did he say anything?"
"Nope."
Emma's eyes narrow. "Did you take back the command?"
"Nope."
"Lily!"
"Look," she says, "Unless he planned on whispering sweet nothings into my ear, I didn't want to listen. So, go ahead. Be my guest and open his mouth and let him hurl more insults at you. After all, he's yours for the next five hours."
"Thanks," Emma responds, grabbing the dagger and a book before heading out to meet her Captain. "Sweet dreams," she calls out.
Gearing up for round two of Savior versus Dark One, Emma brushes her hair back behind her ear and sets her features until they are solid. No matter what he tries, Emma will not let the Dark One rattle her. Being in the same room with Killian, but not having him really there, seems to be a battle in itself. Emma hopes that the time will pass quickly before it is Lily's turn.
By this time of evening, the house turns dark. Because the cyclone ripped the house from its foundation, there is no electricity. However, Emma spies a glowing light at the end of the hall, indicating Lily already lit some candles. When she rounds the corner, the pirate stares at her.
His cold countenance becomes Emma's new normal. Without his voice or his bottle of rum, Hook sits bored out of his mind. Emma crashes onto a nearby chair and peers over to him. If she can't talk to Killian, she prefers, like Lily, to enjoy the harmonious music of the night. But in her heart, she knows that if there is any chance of reaching him, she must let him see that she is not the enemy. Reluctantly, the Savior pulls out the dagger from her pocket.
"You can talk now."
Hook's jaw immediately loosens as he rubs his face. Being unable to speak for so long tortures him. Emma knows it was not fair for Lily to not lift her command. The aftermath of her decision only creates more tension between the prisoner and his guard.
"Do you want me to do anything else, Witch?"
Oh goody, Emma thinks. While Lily gets to sleep, she receives all of Hook's remarks and jeers like a personal concert. The Savior resolves to stay strong, telling herself that the Dark One is just another one of her drunk criminals who doesn't know what he says. Her only problem is that it's Hook, with a sea of attitude.
"I never wanted to use it," Emma confesses as she faces Hook, holding his dagger. "Just so you know."
"Aye, but you did."
"Because you have to stop hurting people!"
"How do you know that?" he sneers.
"Because every time you crush a person's heart," Emma answers. "I feel it. My body shakes and I experience a pain that I would say is worse than death."
"You know nothing about pain, Witch."
His words sting. If there is one thing Emma knows more than anything in her life, it is pain. She wants to scream and make him understand. She wants to reach through the darkness and pull out the man she gives her heart to. She wants to call him back to the light, but with every step she takes, he slips further away.
Emma rises from the chair and walks over to him. Her command for him to not harm her remains, but her muscles tighten. Despite what her gut tells her, she chooses to reach out her hand.
"Can I have your hook?"
"What for? So you can kill me?" he snickers. "Go ahead—try."
Emma knows he challenges her to get under her skin. The darkness inside of him wants to break her. It knows that Killian is her downfall. She tries to forget that this is the man that she loves. She tries to pretend that he is not here, but she fears her imagination will become her reality.
"If I wanted to kill you, I would've done it by now."
"Who says you won't?" he remarks.
Emma scowls, but still keeps her hand out. "Look, do you want to keep that dried blood on it, or would you like me to clean it?"
Her offer surprises Hook, and he searches her features for honesty. The voices in his head tell him that she is a witch who is not to be trusted. Giving her any piece of a foothold threatens his quest.
Yet, as his gaze locks onto hers, he finds her endearing. It startles him that unlike the weakling, Emma doesn't give him a command. Because of this, something tells him to let go and risk it.
"Fine," he mumbles, unlocking his hook and placing it into her hand.
The Dark One's stare doesn't leave his precious steel as Emma ambles into the kitchen. She tiptoes around the shards of glass and spilled food across the floor to open the refrigerator. There is no running water. Fortunately, the Savior discovers a couple of water bottles on the refrigerator's shelf. Though they won't last long, she knows that it will be more than enough to survive until daylight.
Emma examines the hook and notices for the first time, it is not like Killian's silver one that gleams against the light posts of Storybrooke. Instead, its ugly shade of black makes Emma's toes squirm. Quickly, she pours some water onto it and wipes it with a kitchen towel. To her dismay, the Savior finds more remnants of blood on it than she hoped. She imagines the horrifying final moments and sensations of Hook's victims as he ended their lives.
Emma's heart aches, reciprocating the feelings of powerlessness that she endured after coming back from Isaac's twisted reality. Now that time seems like a distant memory.
When she scrubs the hook until no more stains come off of it, Emma walks back into the living room to find the pirate still watching her every move. The Savior proceeds to set down the hook and unscrew the lid of the water bottle she lays next to him.
"I'm not thirsty," he mumbles, snatching his hook and placing it back in its holster.
"Your cracked lips say otherwise."
Hook licks his lips to find that they are in fact, dry. As Emma slumps down on the chair and sprawls her legs out, he takes small sips of the water to quench his parched throat. They both fall silent as the wind howls and Hook downs the refreshment.
As the liquid slips down his throat, Hook remains perplexed by this woman. Everything about her seems so familiar, but he can't remember anything. He knows that the darkness clouds his memory, but why? Was it to prevent him from knowing her because he cares about her?
Suddenly, Hook senses a familiar presence. When the Dark One looks up, he finds his demon sitting at the end of the couch.
"Where have you been?" Hook asks.
"Around," it answers.
"Why can't I remember her?"
"Because she abandoned you on the beanstalk."
"No," Hook responds, shaking his head. "There is something familiar about her. The way she moves, the way she acts, it's like—I've seen it before."
"Why do you even care?"
"I need to know."
"Perhaps, she seems familiar because you are recalling a memory. You did waste some of your time trying to help her get back to her son."
"But that was only for two days. Something's different—I feel it."
"You're imagining things—"
"No!" Hook shouts. "Stop lying to me! Why can't I remember her? Clearly, we must know each other for more than just two bloody days."
The demon grows annoyed with Hook's resistance. The pirate discovers his companion's displeasure as his lungs constrict and a force coils around his neck. The darkness will not let him go. Its power over him remains.
"You listen to me," the demon hisses. "You remember as much as you do because it is for your wellbeing and protection. Your days beyond the beanstalk were filled with disappointment and pain. This woman doesn't care about you. She doesn't even trust you. If she did, she would give you your dagger."
"Well—she—" Hook gasps between his quick breaths. The demon does not lessen his grip on the pirate's neck. The darkness cannot kill him, but aims to inflict agonizing pain.
"Oh don't give me any of that kind of talk! You think she actually loves you? Only your precious Milah ever did. Oh if she could see you now—"
"No! I don't want—to hear—anymore about my failures. Let—me—go!"
"You are such a pitiful soul."
"Stop!" Hook screams. "I—want to—remember! I'm not—your—puppet!"
"Oh, just you wait—" the demon sneers.
"Killian!" a voice calls out.
It is distant, but progressively becomes louder. A force trembles through his bones as the darkness blinds him. Finally, the pain and darkness become too much.
"No!"
The Dark One's eyes shoot open to find his hook reaching for the Savior's neck. His sharp point closes in on her skin, but a force jerks him back onto the armrest, preventing him from hurting her. Beads of sweat drip down his face. He sees that the Swan girl leans over him, gripping his shoulders. As he lowers his hand, he sees it violently shaking.
"Hey, hey, hey," Emma says, trying to comfort him. "It's okay."
Hook detects the concern in her eyes, which bewilders him. Though the demon tells him otherwise, in this moment, it seems like the woman actually cares.
"Where is it?!" Hook questions, his eyes darting in every direction.
"Who?"
"The demon," the pirate answers. "He was right next to me."
"There's no one here," the Savior assures him. "You had a bad dream."
"How long was I asleep?" he pants, trying to catch his breath.
"You dozed off about an hour ago," she replies. "No one's been in here but me. You're safe."
Hook feels his muscles relax at the statement. Upon further inspection, he finds the woman's jacket draped over him, though a slight chill thickens the air and she looks awfully cold.
"Why is your jacket over me?"
"Because you were shivering while you slept," Emma answers. She places the palm of her hand on his forehead. A cool sensation pulses through Hook's body at her touch. It seems strangely familiar. "You're burning up."
"You're freezing," he responds.
"I'll be fine," Emma assures him, rubbing her arms to create friction and warmth. "I've been worse."
Though it keeps him warm, Hook repulses the gesture. He wants no one's help, and certainly this woman's. He casts the article of clothing to the ground.
"I don't want your jacket."
"It's not mine," Emma replies, immediately picking it up off the floor and sifting its leather between her fingers.
The Dark One gives her a puzzled look. "Then whose is it?"
"It's yours."
His sapphires widen at her words. Instantly, he snatches the jacket from Emma and sifts it in his hands. Its texture resembles his captain's coat. As he brings it to his face, he inhales the aroma of sea salt and rum. Its smell brings him back to the decks of the Jolly Roger, as he imagines staring out at the open sea. It is a place that he now realizes how much he misses.
"You wore that for our first date," Emma tells him. "Up to that point, you always wore your trenchcoat and pirate outfit. At one point, I thought you'd never get out of it. But you proved me wrong that night when you showed up wearing this, holding a rose in your hand."
Every fiber in Hook's body fights the darkness' urge to shout at her. It couldn't be true. He actually dated the woman who tried to kill him? He felt an attraction to her when they first met, but to him, she was just a blond distraction. She dashed any potential of a relationship when she betrayed him. So why do her words seem so genuine? And how could he bring himself to love another woman and forget Milah? The darkness wants him to cut her off, but for some reason, Hook just listens and says nothing.
"We went out to Tony's for dinner," Emma continues. "I remember being so happy that it wasn't Granny's for once. Of course I—"
"What did you wear?"
It comes out of nowhere, leaving Emma surprised. There is no hostility, no anger buried in his tone. For a brief moment, it is as if Killian calls out to her, asking the Savior to help him remember. A small grin decorates her features.
"I wore a soft pink dress; knee length, with a pair of matching heels. I knew it was a terrible idea because that night was freezing cold, but I—I wore it because I thought you would like the color."
Hook says nothing. Every passing moment, a small part of him begins to place his trust in Emma. Millions of questions run through his head. He knows the darkness and the demon lie to him, but remains unsure as to what extent.
But whatever is the truth, Hook cannot think about it right now. With every passing moment, the air turns to ice in his veins. Emma sees the pirate's cheeks become a pallid white. She cannot recall the last time she saw him in such a state.
Desperate to alleviate the symptoms, she tries to use her magic to heal him, but begins to feel the thrashing pain of the darkness. Emma realizes that the darkness inside of Hook attacks him. Helplessly, she lets go and watches as his condition deteriorates.
Hook begins to shake uncontrollably. Moments later, he turns onto his side and vomits. Afterwards, the strange symptoms leave him gasping for air.
"Please—please hang on."
Emma knows that because of the darkness within him, Hook is immortal. But his illness horrifies her. She finds herself preventing the pirate from falling off of the sofa. In her arms, she feels his body growing weaker. What happens next burns itself into her memory forever.
Her Captain's crystal blue irises disappear under a pool of black sludge as he begins to convulse in Emma's arms and foam at the mouth. The darkness tortures him, and Emma can no longer stand the sight of it. She feels Killian slipping away from her, and she cannot let that happen, not again. A glowing light illuminates the room as Emma transfers some of her magic into Hook, disregarding the level of pain she endures.
Her pulse races as the sensation vibrates through her body. The darkness wants her to leave it alone, but Emma does not waver. She ignores the pain and focuses on healing the pirate. This is not just another half-drunk man sleeping in her hotel room. He is not another guilty criminal. Somewhere in the Dark One, Killian remains entrapped. That man is her future, a happy future, and she refuses to let the darkness take it away.
After an eternal hell, the Dark One stops convulsing and goes limp in Emma's arms. His eyes stay closed as her lungs remember how to breathe. The ordeal leaves her exhausted and knowing that she cannot keep fighting the darkness this way. Though she is the Savior, she cannot withstand the darkness' power forever. But for now, as long as Killian lives, that is all that matters. As Emma shakes him to wake him up, the pirate does not respond.
"Hook? Come on, wake up. Hook?"
"Emma?" The Savior glances over her shoulder to find Lily standing over her. "What happened?"
"It's the darkness," she explains. "I don't know what happened, but he just—spiked a fever, became pale and started convulsing. I think this has something to do with the darkness."
"Is he okay?" Lily asks.
"No—I think he's unconscious. And he's burning up."
"I'll—I'll go get a towel and clean this up," Lily volunteers, gesturing to the vomit on the ground.
"Good idea," Emma nods as she watches her friend head back to the bathroom. "Look in the bathroom for some pain killers! They might bring his fever down."
The whole time, she cradles the pirate in her arms and doesn't let him go. To calm herself, she tousles his hair and strokes his back.
Silently, Emma wonders if the darkness attacked him because he fought it. Did he do something wrong? Did he try to remember? She can't ask him, but ponders what thoughts flood his mind. Emma takes it as a sign. Maybe Belle is right. Maybe the darkness doesn't have a firm hold on the pirate. Hook remains trapped in the abyss of his mind, but Emma hopes that Killian is still in there, hanging on.
Her hope dangles on a thread, but Emma still believes in her Captain. If he is in there, inside pure evil and hatred, she must let him know that she is here, fighting for him. Emma leans in and what she whispers into her pirate's ear.
"Killian, come back to me."
A/N: I seriously love that line! Well, Chapter Six is complete! I know it was a little longer than usual, but I wanted to give you some more story because I haven't updated in a couple of weeks. Any reviews or critique are appreciated and welcomed. Don't forget to favorite and/or follow this story! Next chapter we get to see Zelena and possibly some Camelot characters. Will Killian wake up and remember Emma? Stay tuned and find out! Until next time!
-C.M. Singer :)