AN: Due to all the lovely reviews for the last chapter, I'm putting this up a little earlier than I'd planned to :) Huge thanks to everyone who's keeping with me on this - you all get a big *HUG*

CHAPTER 11

ULTIMATUM – (noun) - A final demand or statement of terms, the rejection of which will result in retaliation or a breakdown in relations

"What are you going to do, Emma?" Zelena asked, her voice dripping with false sweetness as it carried on the crisp morning air across the few feet that separated them. "Are you going to give up your magic…or do I kill the good captain here?"

And there it was. Blunt and to the point. The ultimatum that Emma knew had been coming ever since she realised that Zelena had captured the pirate. Behind her Charming, Regina and Robin drew in a collective gasp as her gaze slid to Hook.

The heated glare she'd been giving the Witch was quickly replaced with a concerned expression as she took in his dishevelled state. Rumplestiltskin stood behind him as he attempted to stand up straight but she could tell he was in pain. The lines around his eyes and mouth seemed to be etched deeper than before and his lips had a frighteningly blue tinge to them that spoke of oxygen deprivation. His skin had an unhealthy ashen pallor and the dark, black circles under his unusually dull blue eyes only further confirmed her suspicion that he'd suffered a fair amount of sustained abuse at the Witch's hand.

Killian held her gaze momentarily, the depth of his sorrow for placing her in this predicament clearly evident in his tired eyes. A small sad smile suddenly lifted his lips as he stared at her a little longer before nodding his head slightly then looking away.

He was absolving her from any responsibility she realised. Telling her it was all right. That he was willing to die…for her.

Her heart clenched in pain that he believed her magic was more important than him.

How could he be so blind?

She wanted to be angry with the pirate for taking it upon himself to go after Zelena when she'd expressly asked him not to but, in truth, she was still just so overwhelmingly relieved that he was alive.

The mixture of anger and outright terror she'd felt when Robin had revealed what had happened had left her shaky and off kilter. Now, as they stood there facing off against the Witch, Emma knew what she had to do. There wasn't even a need for deliberation because if she hadn't already realised her feelings before she set off to rescue him, she'd have known as soon as she'd seen him standing there ready to forfeit himself.

He meant too much to her for there to be any other decision than the one she'd already made.

She took a step forward but a hand suddenly wrapped around her arm, stopping her from going further.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Regina hissed from by her side.

Emma turned to look at the Queen and frowned slightly.

"I won't let him die," she said determinedly.

"Yes, you will," Regina retorted harshly as she tightened her grip. "We need your magic. Sometimes the one has to be sacrificed for the many."

Emma stared at the brunette for a moment then slowly shook her head.

"Not this one, Regina," she replied with the conviction of a woman who was finally done with running scared from her feelings.

She went to move again but the Queen refused to relinquish her hold. A flash of anger lit her eyes as she went to wrench her arm away but she stopped when her father stepped over to them.

"Let her go," he ordered the brunette in a low but resolute voice earning a grateful glance from his daughter.

"Without her magic we can't defeat my sister," Regina reiterated slowly as if talking to a disobedient child.

"Why not?" Emma challenged suddenly as a thought struck. "I'm not the only one with light magic anymore. You have it inside you too, Regina. You used it for Henry; you just need to find it again. You can beat Zelena, I know you can."

"I can't," Regina automatically denied with a vehement shake of her head.

"Yes…you can," Robin suddenly endorsed as he moved to the Queen's side.

Regina turned to him and saw the absolute faith he had in her reflected in his warm gaze. Emma noticed the small smile that touched the other woman's lips at his conviction then the Queen looked back at her, a warm glow colouring her cheeks. After a few moments she finally nodded.

"Very well, Miss. Swan, I'll try," she promised quietly before releasing Emma's arm.

The blonde gave her a brief smile then took a deep breath and glanced at David who gave her a nod of encouragement. Turning back, she began to walk steadily towards the as yet unknowing pirate.

"I knew you'd see it my way, Emma," Zelena commented with a satisfied smile.

The Saviour scowled briefly at the Witch then looked back at Hook who was now staring at her in disbelief. His eyes widened immediately when he realised her intent and then began to shake his head in negation.

"No, Swan, don't do it," he appealed, the tremor in his voice belying his fear and pain. "Don't do this."

"It's okay," she assured him with a smile as she drew closer.

"No, it's not," he refuted harshly as he automatically took a step backwards. "You need to beat the Witch."

"We will," she promised as she finally stepped into his personal space.

He took another step back then turned his head away and compressed his mouth into a tight line.

Unsurprisingly, Zelena wasn't about to let him stall any longer when she was so close to obtaining her goal.

"Rumple," she called out in a sing-song voice.

Hook let out an anguished groan as his head snapped back around to face Emma and he found his body held in an immobile spell. Desperation clawed at his insides as he tried to move but to no avail. Unbidden tears suddenly blurred his vision as the devastating realisation that he was going to be the downfall of the woman he loved more than life itself wretchedly became all too real.

"No, Emma, please," he begged frantically, the veins protruding in his neck where he desperately fought with all this strength to break his invisible bonds.

She reached out to gently cup each side of his face with her hands and felt her own tears begin to form but she blinked them back. Deliberately hardening her expression, she shot the Wicked Witch a withering glare.

"You won't hurt him if I do this, right?" she wanted to know.

"Of course," Zelena immediately concurred with an evil grin.

Emma eyed her for a moment longer the turned back to Killian and smiled tremulously as she moved even closer. He looked so completely shattered at what she was about to do that her heart broke a little for him.

"It's okay, Killian, I want to do this," she told him again, hoping he'd believe her.

"Please don't, love. I'm not worth it," he whispered brokenly.

His words tore at her heart and she tenderly brushed away a lone tear that had escaped down his wan cheek.

"To me you are," she whispered back lovingly.

He let out a little gasp of surprise then her own tears started to fall as she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his.

As quick as it had begun it was over. The force of the magic leaving her body in such a rush that it pushed her away from him before he even had a chance to respond or even comprehend what she'd done.

There was a stunned expression on her face and he closed his eyes, not wanting to watch when she came to the sudden realisation that she'd made a mistake letting go of her gift for him after all.

"I'm sorry, Emma, I'm so sorry," he muttered unhappily over and over again.

"Don't worry, Captain, you'll soon be out of your misery," threatened Zelena unexpectedly. The Saviour snapped out of her daze and looked over at the Witch sharply, her mouth dropping open in shock as the other woman added airily, "Kill him, Rumple."

"What? No! You said you wouldn't hurt him," Emma exclaimed angrily, trying to dampen down a sudden surge of panic. "I did what you wanted now let him go."

"I said I wouldn't hurt him, Emma. Really, haven't you learned by now that you should make certain of all the facts before being so trusting?" Zelena goaded triumphantly.

Rumpelstiltskin took a couple of steps towards Hook and Emma immediately lunged out in order to stop him but he merely flicked his wrist at her and she went sailing through the air. She landed a short distance away and Charming rushed over to quickly help her to her feet but by the time she turned back, it was too late.

Watching in horror, she had just enough time to share one last tear filled charged look with Killian before his features went slack and he crumpled to the ground in a heap.

END CHAPTER 11

Think I'll go and hide now... :0