Hope you all enjoyed Regina, Queen of Sass. A little more serious here, with what was definitely up there on the list of "heart-wrenching, life-ruining OUAT moments."

Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of the affiliated characters. But I do own two cats, so that's something :D

5. Good

"Emma," he breathes. He stops her without thinking, an unconscious part of his mind compelling his mouth to open and his feet to walk. Now he has to say something. Anything.

He sees the sadness glimmer in her eyes. The harsh reality that this is all coming to an end slaps him in the face. He can't bear his last sight of her to be one with tears on her face.

"That's quite the vessel you captain there, Swan," he jokes, indicating the little bug and its cheerful yellow hue, out of place in these last few torturous minutes. His jest manages to make her smile, but it is a sad smile. He knows he won't accomplish much more than that.

"There's not a day that will go by that I won't think of you," he says quietly. Surely by now, she is well aware of his feelings, and that she occupies the majority of his thoughts, and that the only thing he wants to do is hold her in his arms and make her forget every bad thing magic has ever done to her.

He wonders if the line he has just stepped over is one she doesn't want anyone to cross, wonders if he has just slammed into one of the many walls she puts up around her heart.

Her green eyes shining through tears, she replies simply.

"Good."

Relief surges through him, and he can't help it as the corners of his mouth pull up with a trace of happiness. For once, none of her walls are barring his entrance. Her gaze even flits briefly to his lips, and back to his eyes, and he's overwhelmed by the urge to draw her towards him.

But there is another blockade, the impending distance. He can see in her eyes that they both acknowledge that it exists, and that it isn't fair. Pulling her closer now will do nothing to ease the imminent separation.

He takes a step back, then another, feeling as if he has to drag himself through a kind of resistance, his willpower trying to overcome fate.

He lets her go, repeating her last word to himself over and over as he watches her walk away, drive away, and disappear in the haze of purple smoke.

I watched this scene on repeat - my heart broke every single time - and Hook's line is kind of hard to hear and it sounds like "There's not a day will go by I won't think of you" but that was kind of grammatically "uhhhhh" so I did the best I could. Reviews are welcome, as are requests, and any opportunities to meet Colin! 3