"Tell me what I want to know or I'll make sure that Miss Swan pays for your silence," Gold sneered in the cold warehouse.

Killian struggled against Malcolm and Felix, trying to get free, trying to get to Emma, trying to wipe the look of absolute terror off of her face. There was blood dripping down the side of her face and a pallor to her skin that made him sick to his stomach.

This shouldn't be happening.

He should have kept her safe.

Hadn't he kept her safe?

Everything was a bit jumbled, but Killian was sure that he'd left Emma safe somewhere. He was sure that he'd traded his life for her safety. But here she was.

Gold must have lied, the bastard.

"Commander," Gold interrupted the silent conversation he was trying to have with Emma, "What I would like to know is simple. What does your brother know about me, and who are the men assigned to investigate my organization?"

Killian opened his mouth to answer, to tell Gold any damn thing he wanted to know, if only it would keep that knife away from Emma's neck. He'd damn the entire firm to hell and march into the flames to pick up the pieces if only Swan was safe.

There was a gag in his mouth.

Killian screamed out his frustration as the knife drew closer, as Emma's eyes grew wider, as Gold grinned more maniacally. He tried to work the fabric out of his mouth, tried to tell Gold everything he could, tried to get himself free.

Nothing worked.

"Last chance, dearie," Gold taunted, a slow trickle of blood dripping down the long line of Emma's throat.

Killian started to scream, to thrash, to beg through the muffled gag. Take me ! Hurt me ! Leave Swan alone! Please!

The knife dragged deeper and Emma gasped. One last giggle from Gold and the hot spray of-

"Wake up , Killian! Please, brother! You're safe, please!"

Killian launched himself off his back and nearly fell off the bed in his haste to get free of the blankets that had him tangled and caught. Strong arms caught him and tugged him into an embrace, the restraint only making him fight harder to get free.

He had to get loose, he had to get away , he had to get to Swan.

"Killian, please , little brother. Stop fighting me !"

Little brother , only one person in the world had the right to call him that - much as he eschewed the moniker every time it was uttered - and that person meant he was safe.

"Liam?" Killian's voice shook uncontrollably, but his muscles sagged and his breathing slowed even before he had confirmation that it was his older brother's hand tangled in his sweat-soaked shirt and his fingers squeezing the back of Killian's neck gently.

When the fight went out of him , his captor… his brother, also relaxed. "Aye, little brother. I'm here. You're safe, now," he whispered.

Killian's hands came up to fist in Liam's shirt. He tugged himself closer to his brother, to the safety he represented, had always represented, even when Killian was barely tall enough to pull himself up on Liam's bed when the night was too dark.

And then the dream… the memory?... no, it was just a dream right?... when it all filtered through.

"Where's Emma?" he asked fearfully, trusting Liam to know what he didn't.

Liam's head shook slightly, and Killian's heart clenched before he heard the answer. Emma should be here. If it were just a dream, if it were a nightmare that hadn't come true, then she'd be at his side. She'd taken to spending all of her time with him, curled in the chair next to his bed during the day, a book or a tablet to keep her company while he napped, and curled at his side during the night. He was sure that was real. He was sure that whatever hellish nightmare he'd been trapped in was just that.

So where was Emma?

He fumbled to let go of Liam, to twist in the sheets and look around the room, a buzzing in his ears already starting to white out his surroundings.

The bed next to him was cold.

She wasn't there.

"Emma?" he called out, just in case she was somewhere out of sight. His vision was still a little fuzzy from his time under Gold's care.

She didn't come.

His breath caught in his throat, his head whipping around wildly as he tried to make sense of his jumbled thoughts. She'd been there, he was sure of it. She hadn't… he wouldn't have left her behind. Gold didn't murder her.

She'd saved him.

Right?

Then where was she?

His breaths came in short gasps now, echoing in his ears around the buzzing that wouldn't let up. He could feel his pulse pounding in his hands, his feet, his heart beating wildly in his chest so quickly that it felt as if it would break free of his ribs any moment.

Killian fought against whoever was holding him back, trying once more to get away from the bed and the confines of the sheets. He had to get up, he had to find her. He had to…

He had to…

Emma !

Where was Emma? He needed Emma.

The room was spinning around him, closing in and threatening to bury him if he couldn't get free. He pushed at the blankets, shoved at the arms that held him, a burst of strength that sent whoever had him trapped crashing to the ground.

He got free.

Killian pushed himself off the bed, stumbling towards the door before his legs collapsed under him.

He couldn't breathe.

He couldn't feel his feet to try and stand again.

He couldn't see past the stars dancing in his vision and couldn't hear anything over the buzzing in his ears.

There was a sharp pain in the center of his chest, where he knew his heart had been torn in two.

He needed…

He needed…

"Killian!" Liam's voice shouted in his ear, but he couldn't respond.

Couldn't tell his brother what was wrong.

He needed to find Emma.

He needed Swan.

Entire body trembling, Killian curled up in a ball and tried to ride it out. He was freezing, the sweat that beaded up on his skin and pooled at the base of his throat leaving him caught in that awful state between cold and clammy.

A hand between his shoulder blades pushed hard until his head was between his knees, his arms wrapping tightly around his shins to keep him from flying apart at the seams.

Dimly, he was aware of his brother's voice, clipped and authoritative as it ordered someone to, "Just get here now!" before Liam softened audibly and began to whisper in his ear.

Killian latched onto the sound of his brother's voice, trying to force himself to calm down.

He couldn't.

He couldn't manage anything at the moment, caught up in the spiral that was his entire world at the moment.

Darkness was encroaching on the small field of vision he still had, spots dancing and exploding over the fascinating pattern of the carpet between his feet.

He wasn't sure how long he sat there, unable to move and unable to think of anything besides getting up and finding-

"I'm here, Jones, it's all right now."

Emma .

Her voice washed over him like a cresting wave at the beach, taking him with it and righting his world once more.

Emma was there.

Emma had him wrapped up in her embrace, her lips ghosting over his ear as she whispered soothing nonsense and her fingers carding through his hair.

Killian slumped over, letting Emma catch him and hold him up. Tears spilled over his cheeks unbidden, and he could do nothing to stop them. Didn't need to do anything to stop them. Not when Emma had him wrapped up in her arms and his brother was gripping his knee, thumb rubbing gentle circles over the knee cap. There was a blanket draped over his shoulders and Killian gripped it tightly around his neck with one hand, tucking his head further under Emma's chin and breathing in the comforting scent of her. He reached out with his free hand and snagged Liam's, squeezing it tightly in the only thanks he could manage.

Emma was safe. Liam was safe. His whole family was safe and in this room with him.

He was safe.

Everything made sense again.