Defeat

After her meeting with Hook and Robin, Emma left the camp to figure out how to stop Cora. When she reasoned with the men, she tried to act confident, but from the stories, she has heard of Cora. Emma knew it wasn't going to be easy. With her newly ability of magic, Emma felt older and wiser. That was the problem- her age if she were just a year older she would have already kissed that smirk off of the pirate captain. She only had a few months, and she would be eighteen and then she can give into to the dashing captain.

For now, though, Emma sat at the cliffs she had come to love. She listened to the waves crash below while she read her spell books. Emma knew she needed to neutralize her Cora's magic, and she found a few things: a spell, a potion and, squid ink. The only problem was that squid ink was rare and it wore off, so she debated between the spell and potion. It needed to be permanent. Emma had a start but not even a half of a plan, though she wasn't going to let that stop her. The sun was setting; she figured she could walk back to Hook's cabin and rest for the night since she had another practice session in the morning. After that, she can focus on how to handle Cora.

Her magic was still improving, but deep down she knew it was going to be hard going up against a woman who spent years practicing dark magic. But Emma knew she had to try! After her small magic lesson, Emma cracked open her spell books, the guys got her, and began to figure out the best course of action. In this process, she wished she knew more about Harry Potter, but she continued thinking. The spell, like the squid ink, it was temporary. The potion wasn't, and it just needed to touch Cora's skin or be consumed. Cora was too powerful to let her guard down, but she did have a slight obsession with taking hearts. That made the wheels in Emma's mind turn, and she figured it out.

"Love? How is it going?" Hook asked coming to sit down in front of her taking a swig from his flask and then handed it to her.

"Seriously. Is rum your solution to everything?" Emma said to which he gave an amused smirk. Then she added, "Plus I am only seventeen. I can't drink for another four years."

"Well, it doesn't hurt. And you see lass; our rules are different here. Them royals drink alcohol from the young age of thirteen."

It was her turn to smirk. "Is that so? It doesn't matter. I need my head to be clear since I have a plan to stop Cora!" Emma said smiling.

"Well, don't leave a man hanging."

"I need to get Cora close to me to put a magic neutralizing cuff on her wrist. But she won't let her guard down to do that so. She needs to try and take my heart." At that last word Hook's smile changed to dark. But she continued. "Before you start. I won't even have my heart; it will be safe. Once she sticks her hand in my chest, I will put the cuff on, and she will be powerless. From there we can lock her up, and she won't cause any more problems. For now, I only want you and Robin to know about my plan. Everyone at the Safe Haven should be oblivious to what is going, so Cora doesn't suspect anything. She doesn't know who I am, let alone that I have magic."

"Are you sure you want to do this? And how will your heart be protected?" Hook asked nervously.

"It will be in the hands of someone I trust with my life, and well, my heart. Plus, who better to hide treasure than a pirate."

"You giving me your heart?" Hook asked with fully questioning what she had said.

"In a manner of speaking. I will give it to you before I go after Cora. I got the idea from the story you told me. You went after Cora to get her heart, but it wasn't in her chest. So mine won't be either."

"When will this go down?"

"Soon. I need to prepare my spell and create the cuff. It might take a few tries, plus I am going to be using blood magic so no one except me or someone of my bloodline can remove the cuff."

"Okay. I will let you get back to work, while I deliver your plan to Loxley. I am sure I will be returning with him, he will most likely try to talk you out of this."

"Let him try! I am pretty stubborn." Emma said not looking up from her notes. So she missed his playful smirk.

"You said it not me."

CSCS

It took a little over a month to get the cuff to work correctly and testing it was tricky. But Emma had her ways, and the magic cuff was going to work. Within the last month, Cora had circulated the Safe Haven and then disappearing; always coming at the same time on the same day. So, Emma made her way over to the Haven the night before. Robin and Hook were going to watch out for Emma from the surrounding bushes since Cora knew Hook.

Emma got ready, putting on her cloak and tried to stand out. She needed Cora to talk to her and then Emma could snap at Cora. That would allow for Cora to try and take Emma's heart, and at that moment she can use the cuff. Emma took a deep breath and walked out of the tent waiting to goat the Queen of Hearts to take her heart.

"My I see they took in another street rat," Cora said staring at Emma. Everyone seemed to look elsewhere trying to avoid disaster. So far the plan was working.

"I am no street rat. I am many things, but a street rat isn't one. Now, who would dare call me that?" Emma looked behind her to see the woman known as Cora.

"You are a foolish little girl. My name is Cora. You know I could use you to do my bidding." She said lifting Emma out of her seat and spinning her, so they were facing each other.

"And why would I help someone who insulted me and is terrorizing these lovely people?"

"Someone I am controlling. I just need your heart. And that is what I am known for. I am the Queen of Hearts. And once I have yours, I can either control you or kill you." At the last word, Cora pushed her hand into Emma's chest. The feeling was terrible, but it gave her time. While Cora was searching for her heart, Emma grabbed the cuff and put it on her wrist. She cast another protection spell on her wrist and then blasted her away with her magic.

"I don't think you're going to be controlling me today. I have neutralized your magic with that cuff. I have like ten spells and potions all of which make you powerless." Emma sneered. Then calling attention to the people who watched the interaction, she tried to calm their worries. "Cora no longer has magic. That cuff on her wrist won't let her, and I am the only one who can take it off. You won't have to fear Cora any longer. I have light magic that of which I have been practicing over the last few months. If there is some place we can put Cora, I can cast a protection spell over it to ensure she doesn't get out." At that everyone cheered. Aurora came over and hugged Emma, while Lancelot grabbed Cora and took her to what they called the 'Pit.' Emma put the protection spell over the pit and left the Safe Haven with Robin and Hook in a puff of smoke.

CSCS

The three of them appeared back at Hook's cabin. When she used her magic, in the beginning, it wore her out now she was full of excitement and energy. Emma just defeated the Queen of Hearts.

"Lass, the was brilliant!" Robin said grinning from ear to ear.

"Swan. You did it. You saved everyone in that Safe Haven from the Cora. It was bloody brilliant. I am proud of you." Hook said with the same broad smile that Robin had. They both looked at her and Emma could see the pride in their eyes. And at that look, Emma started to cry. "Love? Why are you crying? You did it you saved a lot of people!" Hook said full of concern.

"I am not sad," Emma said wiping her tears away. "It just you both have this look of pride in your eyes. And that pride is directed at me. You both care about me. No one ever has and it just... It feels good to have someone care about me." Emma said with a smile.

"We do care about you, Emma," Robin said hugging her. This hug felt like something a father would give his daughter. Right now that is how she saw Robin; he acted as her father, whereas Hook acted like an obnoxious friend that would always flirt with her. Another week and then she would be eighteen, Hook is going to be at his current age until or if Regina's curse breaks. One day they could appear to be the same age.

"Um... It's my birthday next week. I have kept track of the days since they appear to be the same as what I am used to. Anyway, I have been here for over eight months; I just wanted to let you know. I never really celebrated my birthday, but now I think I want to."

"Of course we will celebrate your birthday." Hook and Robin both agreed. Emma was filled with joy. She found her home. Robin soon left bidding them a good night while Hook and Emma went to the cliffs. The sun was about to set, and the view was stunning.

"Her name was Milah." Hook said. She turned to him confused.

"Who was Milah?"

"The reason I wanted to go after the Crocodile. Milah was his wife, but she ran away with me. I gave him an opportunity to take her, but he left. Milah and I spent the better part of a decade sailing the seas until we went back for her son. Her husband, Rumpelstiltskin was a coward and apparently while Milah and I were together he became the Dark One to save his son Baelfire only for him to lose him." Hook said taking a break. Emma just looked at him and nodded to let him continue. "I ran into him. I told him Milah was dead so he would leave us alone, but he tried to take my heart. She stopped him. She made a deal to give him; she would give him a Magic Bean in exchange for our freedom. The next day, he came aboard the Jolly Roger. Milah and the Crocodile started yelling at each other. He tied me up while he ripped out her heart and crushed, killing her while I watched. Then he cut off my hand thinking I was still holding on the bean. I used this hook and plunged it into his chest, but a perk of being the Dark One is that you are immortal. He disappeared, and I became Captain Hook. I used the bean to get to Neverland, and I stayed there for a few centuries." Hook said. Emma could tell he was reliving the pain of watching someone he loved die and could do nothing about it.

"That is terrible. And a lot darker than I thought possible." Then Emma remembered Hook's expression when she was going to have Cora take her heart. "You didn't want Cora to get my heart like the Dark One got Milah's."

"No, I didn't want to see that again. Speaking of which, let me retrieve your heart. Hook walked off, and a few moments later he came back with the heart box she gave him. Emma opened the box, took the heart in her hands and then pressed it back into her body. Now she knows how it feels to be heartless, Emma replays Hook's story of Milah and she can almost fell tears forming for a woman she never met.

"Thank you for telling me." Emma gave him a shy smile and looked out at the sun setting.

"One day, I will tell you why I became a pirate, but for now that is why I wanted revenge and became a villain."

"Killian. You're not a villain. You are a good man. You helped me when I came to you all those months ago. You even seemed to let go of your revenge even if it is a start you are trying to be a good person."

"You believe that?" He looked at her with disbelief.

"I do. You need to learn to believe in yourself." With that, Emma took his hand, and they walked into the forest back to his cabin.