AN: So here's a little extended version of the scene in the clock tower. I wanted to do a chapter to explain why Emma would have gone all the way to Granny's before returning Killian's heart and to fill in the time between their kiss in the hallway and Emma's talk with Regina. (It turned out more angsty than I intended, but I hope you enjoy.)
Also: Happy (belated) new year!

She sprinted for the clock tower ahead of her mother, the only thoughts Emma could register being Killian and danger and have to hurry. When they had finally burst through the doors, it was worse than Emma had anticipated. "Gold!" she cried, taking in the scene: The dark magic from something unknown, expanding over their heads like a galaxy. Killian, staring at her with relief and horror. And there, clasped in Gold's hand, his heart. "Stop!" Emma pleaded, true fear coursing through her.

And Emma didn't stop to think; all she knew as she raised her hands was that she needed to save Hook. But Gold was quicker, his spell paralyzing Mary Margaret and Emma, leaving them immobile but still forcing them to watch the nightmare unfold.

Emma tried fruitlessly to move, to break against the magic which bound her, to do anything that would be of use. Everything in her was fighting, trying and failing to save Killian. Even as she struggled, all Emma could do was look on, heart in her throat as Hook's was squeezed in Gold's hand. She felt Killian's gasp of pain like her own heart was being torn from her chest, because she was losing him, and he'd promised- he'd told her he would survive-

And she thanked God for Belle in the next second, Emma making a break for Killian the second Belle and Gold had disappeared with a puff of smoke. The pirate had his heart in his hands, looking at Emma with gratitude and fear. She wondered what had him still looking so crestfallen...he was safe, they were all safe...
But then she was kneeling beside him, only capable of focusing on the fact that he was alive. "Are you okay?" Emma demanded, searching his face. Hook smiled despite himself, though something dark still lingered in his eyes.

"Aye." he affirmed, eyes roaming her face. "Thanks to you, Swan."

Emma shook her head. "Belle's the one who saved you." she corrected. Killian didn't offer a response, only lifting his heart up in Emma's line of sight.

"What do you say, love? Want to put this back in its rightful place?" His gaze was steady as Emma hesitated. She didn't want to risk messing it up and causing some kind of damage. She looked down at her mother, still waiting downstairs (probably trying to subtly give them a little privacy), and then back to Killian.

"Maybe we should find Regina." Emma urged, glancing uncertainly at his heart. "She knows how to do this better than I do."

Killian looked put out by the idea. "Come now, Swan." he coaxed, sweeping back her hair with his hook. "I trust you with my heart. It belongs to you, after all."

Emma smiled despite herself, a little embarrassed as she hoped her mother hadn't heard that last part. "Yeah, well," she muttered, pulling Killian to his feet as she stood upright, "I'd still feel better if Regina at least explained how to, first."

Killian sighed, following Emma as she made her way to where Snow waited. "Is there a wrong way to return a heart?" he argued.

"You really want to risk it if there is?" Emma challenged, raising her brows at him. Killian smirked, relenting, as the three of them made their way out onto the street.

After Regina had explained the process (which was very straightforward, Hook had smugly pointed out), he and Emma found themselves in the back hall of Granny's. They faced each other, Emma looking on edge while Killian smiled (too serenely for a man whose heart was out of his chest).

"You could just hold onto it for me, love." he jested, indicating the pulsing heart in Emma's hands. She glared at Killian slightly, still concerned she might damage him somehow.

"You can do this." he encouraged, becoming sincere. "Just be gentle-"

He broke off with a groan as Emma shoved his heart through his chest. She felt a tingling sensation through her fingers, then the unmistakable pull of magic. She hurried to tug her hand back out. "Sorry." she said immediately, looking into Killian's stern face, "I just thought if I did it quickly it might be like ripping off a-"

Killian didn't let her finish, his pinched expression turning into one of reverence before he pulled her to him. As he backed her into the wall, hand trailing down her side, Emma couldn't believe that she hadn't realized something was wrong sooner. Because this was right, this was Killian, and over the last few days there had been something distinctly not Killian about his kiss. It seemed that the man really put his heart into it.

They parted briefly, noses brushing, as Killian sighed. "I told you, Swan." he murmured, opening his eyes to hers, "I'm a survivor." And Emma felt her lips curl up looking at Hook's own smile. She felt safe for the moment, whole in a way she hadn't in a long time. The content feeling vanished when Killian's eyes darkened again, his body going rigid as he pulled back from Emma.

"What is it?" she questioned, looking at him bizarrely. His heart was back in his chest and Gold had been stopped, so what could possibly have him so on edge?

Killian sighed, knowing he was going to ruin the bliss of his survival. But with his heart returned, Hook knew that he owed Emma the truth after all the havoc he'd reeked doing the Dark One's bidding. "Swan, there's things you don't know about. The Crocodile didn't just take my heart without reason- I'd made a deal with him, for-"

"Your hand." Emma finished. She was nodding, untroubled. "I figured. But it's okay, it's over now. " She reached for him, but Hook stepped back, pushing through what he needed her to hear.

"There's more." he insisted, feeling sicker by the second. All he had wanted to do was be whole for her, be redeemed, yet all he'd managed was to make matters infinitely worse. Emma deserved the truth now, even if it meant he lost her because of it. "The fairies-I'm responsible for that. The Crocodile made me ensnare them in the bloody magic hat. He needed their power to cleave himself from the dagger, and it's my fault they were captured."

Emma reached out to press a palm to Killian's cheek. He leaned into the touch despite himself, raising his troubled eyes to look at her. "But that wasn't you, Killian." Emma reminded him gently. "Gold had your heart, you couldn't have refused even though you wanted to. We understand that, okay? We'll fix whatever we need to."

He wanted to trust her words, but Hook couldn't allow himself to hope when Emma still didn't know the entire story. "Maybe so." he said, moving away from Emma's touch, "But I caused harm before he had my heart. I knew that he was lying to Belle about the dagger, and foolishly thought I could trap him into a deal." Killian paused, wishing he'd never made the damn bargain in the first place. Emma stared at him, waiting expectantly as he continued. "The Dark One had me believe that my hand was cursed. He claimed that because it belonged to the man I once was-" He despaired, knowing now-after all he'd done-that he was still that man. "-it would cause me to lose control." He watched Emma, could see her connecting the dots with his strange behavior the evening of their date.

"Of course, it was a trick. When I wished to remove myself from the infernal hand, he convinced me that only his magic could take it back. I made the mistake of agreeing to another deal."

"Killian." Emma said, shocked by his hurried confessions. She took his face in both hands now, commanding him to focus. "What did you do?"

Killian looked stricken, eyes sweeping over Emma's face. He knew it was likely the last time he would have her so close. "I followed him to a house inhabited by an old man. I held him down while the Crocodile took out that damned hat-" he broke off, remembering the scene with horror. Why hadn't he known better than to threaten the bloody Dark One? "And the man vanished." Killian finished, guilt filling him. "Afterwards, the Crocodile returned my hook and informed me that the hand hadn't been cursed to begin with."

"It was all in my head, Swan." Hook insisted, taking her hands from his jaw. He felt wrong recieving her touch. "I did that to a defenseless man, all for my own benefit."

It was Emma's turn to look stricken. She released Killian's hand, but didn't move away from him. "If you still had your heart, why didn't you tell me then?" she demanded, the knowledge that he'd lied to her hurting more than anything else.

"I would have." Killian promised. If he had to lose Emma, he at least wanted her to know that he'd tried to be better. "But the Dark One had a security tape of us in the old man's house. He'd erased himself from it so that it only incriminated me." Killian stared into Emma's eyes. "I'm so sorry, Emma."

She kept his gaze for a long moment, silence stretching out as Hook wondered what Emma would do next. He wasn't prepared for the way she grabbed at his collar, pulling him into a kiss. She clutched at him as if her life depended on Killian's lips. He let himself return her affections for just a second before trying to push Emma back.

"Love," Killian muttered around her lips, "We should discuss-"

Emma broke away from him sharply. Her eyes were wild, tears pooling in them. "Discuss what, Killian?" she demanded, horrified when her voice wavered. She just wanted to forget about this, to return to their blissful reunion instead. "The fact that you lied to me, and because of that I almost lost someone else I care about?"

"I wanted to be a better man for you." Hook said weakly, meeting her watery eyes. "I thought that having my hand, being whole, might mean I was deserving of you. Evidently, my plans went awry."

"The next time you do something stupid to be a better man," Emma said harshly, "Think about the fact that you already are one."

Killian considered the woman before him. He had just admitted to assisting Gold and entrapping an innocent man, yet Emma's words didn't sound like a goodbye. "Swan, I acted on my own accord. Thinking my hand was cursed gave me permission to act as the cruel pirate again- It's clear I've changed about as much as the Dark One has."

Emma rolled her eyes. "You're not gonna convince me that the Captain Hook I chained to a beanstalk and the guy that I'm standing in front of now are the same person." she declared. She was pissed, and she was hurt, but she still knew that Killian was a changed man. Whatever mistakes he'd made (whatever ones he would make), Emma believed in his redemption. "I know you wouldn't have used the hat unless Gold had leverage. So whether he had your heart or not, the things you did weren't really you."

Killian blinked, wondering why the devil she was trying to defend him after what he'd told her. "If you truly believe I'm a changed man," he said carefully, trying to understand the woman he usually read so easily, "then what has you upset?"

"I'm not angry because of what you did." Emma corrected, as if he should already know as much, "I'm angry because whatever motivation you had- It doesn't change the fact that you almost broke your promise." She went on more quietly, "You promised me you'd survive."

Killian was still bewildered by the way Emma so easily dismissed his actions-did she truly have that much faith in him?-but seeing the hurt in her eyes made him relent. Killian placed his hand against her waist, hesitant to move closer. Emma relaxed into the touch, though, giving Hook the confidence to bring her into his arms. "And I did survive, love. Regardless of any altercations, I'm fine."

"Barely." Emma protested. "If Belle hadn't been there to save our asses, Gold would have crushed your heart." She shook her head to push the memory away. "Jesus, Killian. From now on, you can't be keeping secrets from me."

Hook could feel the relief course through him; she still wanted him, in spite of his mistakes. "I promise you, Swan, nothing but honesty." His heart thumped as she smiled up at him. It felt right when he kissed her again, both apology and thanks on his lips.

"Unless another foe gains possession of my heart." Killian joked, earning a stern look from Emma before she pulled him back in.