A/N: I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Warnings: character death. I don't know how to make it more clear that I am a terrible person and my brain has evil thoughts. This is based off a random (and horrid) thought I had some time ago that wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it. Canon divergent on 3x22.

Andria, thank you for your wonderful review, this is a terrible way to pay back such kindness.

As always, I don't own anything. Please enjoy (or not, I'm mean) and review (unless you want to curse me - please no curses).

Killian trails behind the group, not exactly happily but with slightly more bounce in his step than you'd expect from a man who just assisted with a jailbreak. He watches Emma as he goes, still chuckling to himself about her abilities to impress him and cuts into the next hallway.

He moves to the window overlooking the courtyard and freezes, heart plummeting at the sight before him.

"What is it?" Emma asks behind him, "Did you find Snow?"

Despair enters his tone as his replies, wishing for any way to take Swan from the scene, "I'm afraid so."

Black Knights are arranged in the courtyard below and with a nod from Regina – the Evil Queen – they bind Snow White's hands above her head, securing her to the pyre.

"We have to get down there before it's too late," Emma says beseechingly to her father and Killian is momentarily glad – then guilty at the thought – that he doesn't have to deliver the news that is so obvious to him.

A conclusion the Prince is reluctant to admit, "I don't think we can."

Killian cannot turn away from Snow, defiance clearly shown in her expression until the bag blocks it from view.

"No," Emma whispers and her pain distracts Killian from his own horror, at what they're about to witness and knowing it's due to their interference.

His arms go around her shoulders and he pulls her into his chest, offering what support he can as the Evil Queen summons her fireball. Once, Emma's touch on his arm would have thrilled him but he is too horrified by what is about to occur to Snow and as a consequence, Emma.

They look on in horror as the Evil Queen releases her magic and the pyre is light, Snow White with it. He can distantly hear Ruby's exclamation of horror, along with the quiet whimpers of the woman Emma rescued but his entire focus is on Emma. She moves closer in his arms as she sobs and Killian cannot stop the tears from falling down his own face.

"We killed her," Emma wails, "We killed my mother."

Killian can say nothing to counter it as he ignores the confusion of the others, stroking Emma's hair soothingly.

"We have to go," the Prince says, obviously shocked and Killian wonders if he can understand the magnitude of his loss.

Ruby howls and throws back her cloak, leaping into the night in her wolf form.

He's about to ask her to stop when Emma gasps in pain, "What is it?" He asks urgently.

Her eyes are dull and the light shining through the window highlights the tear tracks on her face, "I don't exist."

Killian is about to protest when she doubles over, Killian grabbing her shoulders.

"What's wrong with her?" The Prince asks and Killian ignores him.

"Stay with me, Swan, we're going to be fine."

"I killed my mother," her voice breaks, "I killed my son, Killian, what have I done?"

He makes no move to wipe away the tears falling down his cheeks, his right hand holding Emma all the tighter, "We're going to fix this, Swan. We are. You just hold on."

She smiles weakly and he's about to respond when his hand goes through her shoulder. His heart stutters painfully in his chest as he gazes at her, slowly fading away.

Emma is silently crying, resigned to her fate and Killian drops before her, pleading, "No, Swan, you don't get to do this, please, please don't leave me. I love you, Emma Swan, every stubborn part of you and I need you to stay. We can fix this."

A ghostly hand cups his cheek and he leans into it, trying to trade his life force.

"I could have loved you. That frightened me more than anything."

"We'll have time," he says eagerly, desperately, moving his hand to play with a strand of her hair and passing straight through, fresh tears marking his face, "When we get back, you can stop running from everything, we can start fresh."

"Tell me," she whispers, her voice little more than an echo, "What's our future like?"

Killian focuses on her green eyes, pretending he can't see the wall behind them, "Well, first, I'll have to win over your parents," he gets a quiet laugh that turns into a sob for that, "and we'll go sailing, every weekend. We'll go with Henry and your baby brother when he's old enough. We could have our own crew and I'll make sure to surprise you and legally acquire a vehicle every so often."

He shuts his eyes for a moment, picturing the scene and smiling and when he opens them again he sees a glint of faded gold before she is gone from his sight.

"No," he roars, getting to his feet, "Swan, Emma! Emma!"

"What is wrong with you?" The Prince asks, grabbing his arm, "Who is Emma? And who are you?"

Killian pulls away in despair, screaming for Emma. Memories flash through his mind, the joy of dancing with her, how his heart leapt as she opened her apartment door, a single word of hope on the town line, the taste of her lips in Neverland. The memories continue to drift through his mind, floating away like a leaf on the wind until he finally remembers cursing Cora as he hides under a pile of corpses. He remembers being turned over and all he can see is gold. As the world darkens around him, he notices his throat is raw and his screams are still echoing in the air, repeating a name that is unfamiliar to him in every way.

Hook wakes in his cabin, head pounding and blinks in the morning light, attempting to orient himself. He wipes the dampness from his cheeks, wondering which of his ghosts visited him in his dreams. A body shifts in the sheets next to him and he sees brunette hair splayed across his pillow, no memories of who she is or what activities they partook in the night before.

There is a strange moment where he is convinced she should be blonde, but the thought fades quickly and he shakes his head to clear them of the unusual thoughts. He'd always been partial to brunettes.

He moves out from under the covers, uncaring of the comfort of his bed mate and walks to his desk, not bothering to dress. Hook flicks through the reports on his desk until he finds the one he received yesterday, the reason for his celebrations. According to reports, the Dark One's maid had been captured by the Evil Queen and if anyone is likely to know the location of the dagger, it's her.

His hand begins to tremble and he drops the note, confused by his own weakness. The thought that everything is wrong overtakes him suddenly and his heart clenches, the sense of loss overpowering. But he has been hunting his crocodile for centuries and that habit is comforting and more real than any strange ideas that he could have a more fulfilling life. The crocodile killed what mattered most to him and that is the thought that guides him.

He clenches his hands into a fist and calms himself, taking strength from the gentle motions of the ship.

Only death would stop him from seeking his vengeance.

Little did the fearsome Captain Hook know, that was now his fate.

A/N: Again, sorry. But not really. If I had to picture this scene, you have to share my pain. If you're here looking for happy little AU one-shots, it seems like you're in the wrong place.

Adrina Stark.