A/N: I know I've been writing this as if Emma's the only Dark One- but that's because it was started before the Killian thing happened. So I've backtracked a bit in this one, in which Hook was also the Dark One and came out of it with Emma (no Underworld stuff). I haven't actually seen all of the new episodes but I know what happens. I've been writing paper after paper and I just wanted to play tonight. I hope this is suitable- it's nearly 3am here because I was doing school work until after 1 so I know it probably isn't my best but I hope you enjoy it. Let me know if you want me to continue on with more stories in this series following the set up in this chapter. I'm done at the end of this week for winter break so I'll hopefully be doing a lot more writing. I really want to finish A Bounty of Paint Pots over break so let me know if you want more of this one as well and I'll work on them both. Thanks.

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon A Time belong to ABC and the show's creators.

"Mom!" Henry's voice rang through the station. Emma glanced up from her paper work as Henry tore open the glass door to her office. Emma had just begun working again that morning, with the plan of a few hours a day to try and increase the sense of normalcy she'd been building. Everything was supposed to be quiet today. But, from the look on Henry's face, the family she'd left at nine that morning couldn't even hold it together until two.

"What is it?" If it was a monster she was going back to bed. That was a job for her father. Emma was still on paperwork duty.

"It's Killian." There was fear in his voice, cutting through her.

"What?" Emma was on her feet in a split second, rushing to her son's side. She'd left Killian to putter around the house, maybe sand down some of the cupboard doors while she was gone. Nothing had seemed wrong when she left. What had happened since? Killian had been doing so well, Emma almost forgot what he'd been through.

To be honest for a while she had. She'd been such a mess for so long. And Killian hadn't. He'd held it together. Held her together. They'd been building a home together, Killian doing whatever she needed. Emma had assumed Killian was better at coping; he did have several centuries on her to learn the skills. She'd assumed that if he needed her he would come. Killian had never been afraid of talking before. It appeared she'd been wrong.

"I went home to get that drone, you know the one I wanted to show Roland toady? I found him then. On the floor of the kitchen. There's something wrong. I don't know, maybe it's a panic attack."

"And you left him?" Emma asked, anger flaring in her worry. She grabbed her keys and started out of the office, Henry following.

"Not alone. Robin's there. I ran here after you didn't answer your phone." Emma's steps increased their pace, annoyed at herself for leaving it in the Bug then being too lazy to go get it earlier. Killian was probably mortified being left with Robin Hood. If he was even in a state to feel that. When Emma had broken down she certainly hadn't been.

"What state was he in?"

"Mom, you just need to see him." Tears were starting to gather in her son's brown eyes. Henry looked up to Killian, saw him as the father figure he never had. Henry had already watched two parents be torn up by past actions and memories of dark magic, she wouldn't let him go through that with a third.

Emma shoved the keys back in her pocket and grabbed Henry's shoulder. There was no time to get the Bug going and get back to the cottage. "Hold on Henry." She flicked her wrist and they disappeared into a white cloud of smoke.

Emma had barely landed on Albatross Lane before she was running up the steps of their little cottage and through the door Henry had left open in his haste to find Emma. The house was eerily quiet. Her panic increased.

"Killian!" she shouted, hurrying into the kitchen. There were sanding blocks on the floor amid paint dust so Killian had been working before whatever happened. Nothing was there that shouldn't have been there. What had triggered this?

"Back here, Emma," Robin's tense voice returned. Emma followed the sound off the kitchen into the un-renovated bathroom and laundry room.

Robin was standing by the door looking scared and helpless. She barely registered him though, eyes going directly to Killian. Her pirate sat on the edge of the old tub, head in his hands, body quivering. A wet dishtowel laid on the floor at Killian's sock feet, an attempt at calming him by Robin she imagined. Killian didn't even look up when she entered.

Emma turned back to Robin for a moment, shaking her head in the direction she'd come. Robin nodded, understanding she wanted privacy. He left quickly, shutting the door almost silently. Once he was gone Emma fell to her knees in front of her pirate.

"Killian?" No response. "Hey, Killian, it's me." She reached forward, laying a tentative hand on his shoulder. Killian jumped, letting out a horse cry before toppling back into the tub. "Killian!"

"Emma." The voice was barely a whisper. Broken.

At the acknowledgement Emma slipped into the tub, settling at the other end, waiting. She was quiet, watching, ready to do whatever Killian asked, just as he had done for her on The Jolly Roger. Emma wasn't good at this kind of thing, not like Killian was. But she had to try.

Slowly Killian righted himself, pulling his knees up to his chest. His blue eyes were rimmed red, face pale. The black linen shirt he wore was soaked to his chest with sweat, his hair in no better a state. Emma's heart broke and she grew mad at herself.

She'd been so selfish, needing Killian as she had when he obviously needed to heal himself. Her stupid, gallant pirate had put himself second, not telling her anything was wrong. She'd been through a similar situation as he had and yet hadn't thought to stop Killian and ask how he really was managing. And now Killian was suffering for it.

"Swan?"

"Yeah, I'm here," she responded, reaching over the wall of the tub to grab the wet cloth. She held it up for Killian to see and after a subtle nod from him she inched forwards. Using soft strokes, Emma ran the cloth under Killian's eyes and down his cheeks, removing the tear tracks. Killian closed his eyes as Emma touched him, sighing a little against her palm.

When Killian's face was clean Emma put down the cloth and took his hand in hers. "What happened?"

At first Killian shrugged. Emma waited. Finally he sighed. "I don't know, love." Killian gave a little tug on her arm, pulling her towards him. Emma complied, settling her back against his chest. "Everything was fine this morning. I was going to get the cupboards ready to repaint for us to do later. And then as I was working I realized you were gone." Killian's voice broke. He wound his arms around Emma, holding her tight. "I was alone for the first time since-" Killian coughed through the lump in his throat and took a deep breath. "Since we found our way back from the dark. When you are here I can concentrate on you, even when you're asleep I can go to the bedroom and see you. You were so sick when we first got back. It gave me a purpose to know I could do for you what no one else could. Your parents are always here, or the lad, or one of the various townspeople who show up when I least want them to. But when I was alone in the quiet, it started reminding me of how alone I felt as the Dark One. It was worse being that then it was after Liam died because at least then I still had my crew. But with the mess of the dark one I pushed you away. I nearly lost you so many times. Even after the darkness was gone I barely got you back."

"And this morning I left," Emma stated, guilt threatening to swallow her. "I'm so sorry, Killian. I should never have assumed you were fine."

"I could have told you."

"You shouldn't have had to," Emma argued back, desperate for Killian to understand how sorry she was.

"You may be powerful, Swan, but you aren't a mind reader."

Emma let out a soft laugh at that, more relieved than anything that Killian was able to joke.

"It just got to be too much this morning," Killian continued, pulling Emma tighter against his chest. She could feel his heartbeat through the several layers of clothing, still erratic but slowly calming. "And I started having trouble breathing and my heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest. Everything went funny and I thought I was going to die."

"That's a panic attack."

"That's what the lad told me. I think," Killian added sheepishly, the memories of the past hour a little fuzzy.

"It's okay. I've gotten them before. A lot of people get them. You've been through a lot. It's only natural your body reacted this way. We can get through this." Emma pulled out of Killian's arms and turned so she could look him in the eye. "Will you make a deal with me?"

Killian nodded, pushing damp hair off his forehead with his hook.

"I'm a lot better now. Because of you. Will you be honest with me now and let me take care of you?"

A small smile pulled up Killian's stubbled cheek. "I guess that's fair," he replied.

"I guess so," Emma returned, trying to imitate his accent. She leaned forward and gave him a soft kiss against that smile. "I'm going to stay home for a while with you. I don't need to go back to work. You're not going to be alone until you're ready."

"You don't have-"

Emma cut him off immediately, pressing a finger against his soft lips. "Remember the deal? No being tough. It's my turn to care for you."

Killian let out a long suffering sigh before giving her a little smirk. "Fine."

"Good. Now let's get out of this tub, okay?" Killian stood then offered his hand and hook to help her up. Emma took them, standing. "You don't have to be brave anymore."

"I love you, lass," Killian replied, pulling her to his lips. The kiss was a bit more muted than usual but it still stoked something deep within her. It was soft and loving, more promise than outright passion. Emma dropped the hand that held his hook, instead bringing it up to twine her fingers through the soft black hair.

"Love you too," Emma answered when they finally broke apart.

When Emma dragged Killian out of the laundry room the house was quiet. She pulled him to one of the chairs at the breakfast nook and sat him down.

"Now I'm going to order Granny's for lunch and then finish sanding these cupboards okay?"

"I can help," Killian began to argue, moving to stand up from the wooden bench Emma had placed him on.

"No way. How many rooms was I not allowed to help on? It's my turn to help you get better and I will turn into a whiney princess to get my way." Emma stomped her foot in emphasis, fighting back a smile. She knew she was being ridiculous and very un-Swan like but she wanted to distract Killian.

Killian couldn't hide his own smile, teeth shining white in the midday sun that filtered through the small kitchen window. It was a relief to see it. "Well, who am I to argue with a princess?"

"You're her pirate."