Author's note: This chapter is dedicated to Mrs. Killian Jones pureblood who should know why I'm doing so :P

Chapter 31: We Can't Let Him Die

Emma and Regina ran breathlessly down the street, Neal, Mary Margaret and David at their heels.

"There! Up ahead." Emma said, pointing. "The ship's just up there. I mean, you can't see it, but it's there."

"How are we going to get on? Feel our way up?" Neal frowned.

"Well, yeah. That's what I did." Emma responded.

"Don't be ridiculous." Regina rolled her eyes. With a wave of her hand, the ship became visible, shining in the morning air in all its glory.

"Wish I thought've that." Emma muttered.

"What's that?" Mary Margaret frowned at something, pointing at a spot about a hundred feet away. "Is that…a person?"

Everyone squinted in the direction she was gesturing. It appeared to be a small figure, running straight towards them at breakneck pace.

"Henry." Regina realized as the figure gradually came into focus. "It's Henry!"

"What?" Was the collective gasp that was heard from the group.

They began to run towards him. "Henry!"

"Mom!" Henry said as he ran straight into his mothers, attempting to hug them both at once. "Dad! You guys are all here." He said, upon noticing that his father and grandparents were there as well.

"Yeah, we were just on our way to rescue you." Neal's voice was muffled as he pressed his face into Henry's mop of brown hair.

"Oh my God, how did you escape?" Emma couldn't stop the tears of relief that were dripping down her face, and a quick glance at Regina told her that the brunette looked the same.

"Are you ok?" Regina asked, looking him over for injuries.

"Yeah I'm fine." Henry said. "Hook…he saved me."

Emma froze, hearing the clunk of her jaw hitting the hard pavement. "What?" Suddenly, she couldn't think, couldn't breathe, as her whole world was turned upside down yet again. Evil but charming pirate turned boyfriend turned evil yet again. What?

"I thought he was working with Cora." Mary Margaret frowned.

"He was. But he's not anymore." Henry responded. "You have to help him. He's in trouble."

"What are you talking about? Why would we help the man who kidnapped you?" Regina crossed her arms firmly.

"No, you don't understand. He's not who you think he is. He saved me!" Henry argued. "We don't have much time. Cora's gonna kill him."

"No." Regina shook her head stubbornly. "No. No way."

Henry stomped his foot. "Yes! Don't you see? How else would I have escaped?" He turned to Emma. "You can't let him die, Mom. He loves you."

"I…uh…" Emma stammered, completely flustered.

"No way." Regina repeated. "This is a trap. I don't know how, but it's a trap. Saving him will only ensure our deaths. I suggest we get the hell out of Storybrooke right now."

"I agree." David interjected loudly.

Mary Margaret rolled her eyes. "Now is not the time to play the overprotective parent, David. As much as I would like to make him pay, we can't just leave him to die." She pointed out. "He saved Henry's life. It's the right thing to do."

"Please." Henry begged. "You can't leave him to die." He turned to Regina. "You want to change? Prove it. Show me by saving him.

"I…alright fine!" Emma said.

Regina sighed begrudgingly. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt."

It was quickly decided that Neal, Mary Margaret, and David would take Henry home to hide him from Cora in case she came looking, while Emma and Regina would go on to save Hook.

"Good luck." Emma's parents wrapped her in a hug. She and Neal exchanged tight smiles, while Regina and Henry hugged tightly. And then they were off.

"Do you have any idea how to stop her?" Emma panted as they jogged up to the ship. Already, jets of light were visible, growing brighter with each passing second.

"I have a few ideas." Regina muttered, dashing up the gangplank, Emma at her heels.

"What the hell is that?" Emma frowned.

"I don't know, but it doesn't look good…" Regina said worriedly.

They arrived just in time to hear the explosion, to see both Hook and Cora blasted backwards.

"NO!" Emma screamed as she attempted to reach him, but she suddenly found herself tightly restrained by someone. Regina, who'd wrapped her arms around her body. "LET ME GO!"

"You can't go over there!" Regina snapped in her ear. "I know that spell. It'll kill you. And Henry will have my head."

"No! I don't care!" Emma cried, struggling fruitlessly against her former enemy. "We can't just let him die!" But it was futile; though Regina wasn't much bigger she was pretty damn strong. "HOOK!"

Cora exploded immediately, vanishing into a small pile of ashes.

Contrastingly, it seemed to take him ages to fall. His body curved gracefully, arcing backwards, until it disappeared in the haze of the red light.

"I'm sorry." Regina said softly as Emma grew limp. Vaguely, she registered that it was the first time Regina had spoken to her without a trace of hostility.

The bright red light slowly waned, revealing Hook's body, lying lifelessly on the hard wooden deck.

"No…" Emma immediately ran over towards his body, cradling him in her arms. "No. Please. You can't be dead."

There was a low moan as he stirred. "Swan?" He whispered hoarsely.

"Hook." Emma sobbed. "Killian." She cupped his face in her trembling hands.

"You're…" He coughed painfully. "Here."

"You can't die." She said incoherently, the tears on her face intermingling with her vision until everything was blurry. "Please. I need you." She only hesitated briefly before saying the next part. "I love you."

"…love you too." A ghost of a smile passed over his face, his head turning over to the side, and he was still.

"WAKE UP!" Emma screamed, violently shaking his limp body. "YOU CAN'T DIE!"

There was a hand on her shoulder. Regina, who held an urn in her other hand. The urn that surely held the remains of her mother.

"Do something." Emma pleaded, tears streaming down her face. "Please."

"I'm sorry. But there's nothing I can do. He's dead." The sincere look on Regina's face was clear proof that she was telling the truth. "The spell was a powerful one that required a sacrifice. The caster and whoever it was directed at would die. Hook sacrificed himself for you. And now he's gone."

Emma bowed her head heavily. She had to accept it. Hook was dead. A deep, hollow feeling began to grow inside. Hook had sacrificed himself for her. And knowingly too, by the looks of it. He must've gone to Gold for help or something. And of course Gold would use the spell that would destroy his long time enemy.

She didn't know what to make of this. She'd changed opinions about him so often that she was starting to get whiplash. One moment she loved him and the next she hated him. And now finding out that his last actions had been trying to do the right thing, and then seeing him die? Her head was starting to spin.

One thing was sure though. He was gone. She had to bury all of her confused, conflicted feelings about him and move on with her life. No use dwelling on the past, or else she'd end up like Gold or Regina. Or Hook himself, ironically.

Bending over him, her long blonde hair dangling over his face, she pressed her lips to his. "Goodbye." She whispered, mentally thanking him for everything, momentarily pushing past all the pain he'd caused her.

Emma pushed herself up. "Let's go." She said to Regina, who nodded in agreement. The women headed towards the gangplank, when suddenly there was a loud cough behind them.

Author's Note: Umm...what? Is Hook dead or not?