A/N: "When is Emma going to reunite with her fqther. I hate how he's been sidelined in this story." – Guest Reviewer

I know! I agree, and I'm sorry. This actually isn't the first complaint I've gotten about David's minute role in the story. But I promise he is coming up in the next few chapters, small part or not. I PROMISE. I've been planning how to fit him into the story so that it makes sense for a little while now. Thank you for your honesty, noble reviewer :)

"I like this story! It's different, in a good way. Kudos" – Guest Reviewer

Thank you! I'm glad this story is being so well received so far!

Emma was the first to draw back from the kiss. Her chest heaved from the lack of oxygen kissing had left her with. She removed her hands from the nape of Hook's neck and sat back down on the road. "What happened? Where're Mary Margaret and Henry and Regina? Where were you?" The questions came flowing out of Emma like a river of curiosity.

Hook laughed gently. "Slow down, love. Mary Margaret went back to take care of Neal, and Regina took Henry back to her place. She didn't want him to see what was happening to you."

"What?" Emma asked with a sense of urgency, her other questions temporarily forgotten. She couldn't remember anything from the last few hours. "What was happening to me?"

Hook sighed. "I don't know. They said you started screaming as soon as you crossed the town line."

Emma's eyes lit up with realization. "Lily," she said quickly. "Lily told me that going back to Storybrooke could kill me." Although she knew this fact to be true, she couldn't help but wonder what would happen to the Dark One's magic if she died. At the moment, it was indestructible. Would it just be released, again, free to terrorize the town once more?

"Kill you? How, love?" Hook was obviously confused.

Emma furrowed her brows. "I don't know, exactly, but she said Good and Evil naturally fight each other. And I'm the Savior and the Dark One; that's a lot of magic for one person to have. To sum up what Lily said, my body is quite apparently the battleground for the fight between Good and Evil. Between the Savior and the Dark One. Storybrooke just allows that fight to be harsher."

Emma watched as Hook put the pieces together in his mind. She could almost see the wheels turning as he worked it all out, that she was bound to be destroyed in some way, some form. That she was, essentially, fading away, ever so slowly.

After several minutes he looked back up at her, a pained expression twisting his beautiful features. "How much better is it for you to be out here? In the real world?"

Emma crossed her thin arms and shrugged. "A lot better, apparently," she admitted. Growing uncomfortable with their current topic of discussion, Emma decided to change the subject. "What have you been doing?"

Hook appeared willing to comply with the change in conversation. "I've been looking for this damned Merlin the Sorcerer mentioned."

"Oh. Have you found him yet?"

"Yes, and no," he replied.

"What do you mean?" Emma was confused. How could you find someone, but not actually find them?

"Well…" Hook scratched at the back of his head. "It appears this 'Merlin' resides somewhere called Camelot, which is neither in Storybrooke, nor in this 'real' world that you are so familiar with."

Emma nodded her disappointed understanding. "You don't know where Camelot is or how to get there." She gave a loud groan.

"Aye, love. I'm sorry," he apologized.

"Don't be," Emma told him. It wasn't his fault, after all.

Emma gazed longingly at the empty stretch of road that contained the concealed world of Storybrooke. She so wanted to go back in and resume her normal life again (not that it had been that normal, but…).

But going back in would very likely be the death of her.

Why had she had to become the Dark One? Couldn't they have just left Rumple in his already dark ways and entrapped him, like what had been done back in the Enchanted Forest? Didn't he deserve it? He had betrayed them all; why should he get another chance while Emma suffered for him?

"You sound a little angry, Dearie. Care to take some of that anger out?"

No, Emma thought back bitterly. I'm not doing anything you say.

"Oh, but you know what happens when you bottle up all that anger. It… explodes!"

The image of a damaged and completely ruined Storybrooke, ashes smoking all around, flashed suddenly behind Emma's eyes. And there, in the middle of the ashes, stood Emma, smiling victoriously as if she had just won a contest. Emma could even feel the heat rising up from the embers. It felt so… real.

Emma gave a small gasp and scuttled back in surprise at the vivid picture still burning in her mind.

"Emma?" Killian's voice brought her back to reality. He gave her a concerned look. "Everything alright, love?"

Emma nodded quickly, though the action was insincere. "Yeah, I just…" She took in a deep breath. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Her boyfriend looked unconvinced but left the subject alone.

"That's what happens when the Dark One doesn't let off some steam from time to time," the voice in her head warned her. "Remember that image, Dearie."