Ouat Once Shots

One Shot #19

"Good night, Killian." Those words had been bouncing around in Killian's brain all day, the last words Emma had said to him before they had fallen asleep. The last words she had said to him since she had gone missing. She had fallen asleep in his bed like she had every other night this week, but when he woke up, her side of the bed was empty. All day, Killian had driven himself mad with worry, searching every corner of Storybrooke for his lost love, with no avail.

"Killian, she's not here." Belle's voice broke him out of his thoughts. The pair had been searching in the dwarf mines under the library for the past hour. There was no sign of Emma.

"She has to be bloody somewhere." Killian growled, kicking at the ground.

"Well that somewhere is not here, I suggest we search someplace else." Belle said, she was getting a little annoyed at Killian's negativity and brooding state. They decided to search the woods again, and were headed towards the elevator when Killian's phone went off. The caller ID said that it was David calling.

"Hook, we need you and Belle at the loft, it's an emergency." David said immediately after the call connected, and then ended it as soon as he was done talking. Killian shot Belle a worried look before dashing to the elevator. He was so worried, he was at the loft in under ten minutes, banging through the door and demanding to know what the "emergency" was.

"Is she here?" He asked, wildly searching the loft for Emma. He made a move to head up the stairs when David stopped him.

"Hook, wait." David glanced at Mary Maragaret before continuing, something wasn't right. "We found Emma, but well..." he glanced at the floor, trailing off.

"Just tell me, mate." Hook growled, getting impatient with David. He'd been looking all day for Emma and needed desperately to know where she was.

"Hook, we found Emma's body." Killian never knew that words could be so crushing or cause him physical pain, but David's words did just that. He stumbled backwards as if someone had punched him, and fell into a chair.

"W-what do you mean you found her body?" Killian said, his voice cracking.

"She's dead, I'm sorry." Mary Maragaret said softly from her spot in the corner, tears streaming down her face.

"SHE CAN'T BE DEAD!" Killian screamed, jumping up and punching the wall. Mary Maragaret broke into sobs behind him, and he felt his own eyes prick with tears. His Emma couldn't be dead! She was too strong for that.

"How did it happen?" he asked, composing himself enough to face David and Mary Maragaret.

"We found her body in the woods and her heart was gone, ripped out." David said, tears welling in his eyes. This grief was too much for him. He turned and walked out the door, his feet carrying him to the Jolly Rodger where all his emotions exploded and he collapsed, sobbing on the deck.

~~~~~

Killian had stayed on his ship all week, not wanting to face the world without Emma. No one dared to come near him, except Belle, who came to make sure that he had eaten.

"Killian, you need to do something other than pace the deck of this ship." she said softly one day. Killian only grunted in response, but she kept at it. "Don't get your hopes up, but I think we can save her," Belle blurted out. Killian's head snapped up, searching her big brown eyes.

"Don't joke about that, Emma's dead" he muttered bitterly.

"I'm not, there could be a way to bring her back." Belle said before explaining her idea. Killian nodded, taking in every word. Her crazy plan might not work, but anything was worth it for Emma.

~~~~

Seeing her made him want to cry. Her lifeless eyes staring at the ceiling, her skin cold and pale, it was all too much. He cast a glance at Belle, who nodded reassuringly, and then in turn glanced at Regina who was a key element in their plan.

"Ready?" Regina asked Killiam, who nodded. He had to trust Belle and her plan, even if it might kill him. With barely a warning Regina plunged her hand into his chest, pulling out his heart. He gasped at the sharp pain, but it soon began to ebb, so he gave Regina another nod, telling her to continue. She carefully took his heart and broke it clean down the middle. She cast one last look at Killian before shoving one half into his chest. Again, the pain was intense, but faded quickly. Now for the moment of truth. Regina bent over Emma's lifeless body, biting her lip, half of Killian's heart clutched in her hand. She took a deep breath before plunging the heart into her chest. There was a scary moment of silence before Emma's body lurched with a ragged breath and she shot into a sitting position, her eyes darting around wildly.

"W-what happened." Emma stammered, looking between Killian and Regina.

"That doesn't matter, love. What matters is that you're safe." Killian felt his eyes brimming with tears as he embraced her. Emma wrapped her arms around him, her breath shaky and uneven.

"Killian, was I d-dead?" She whispered hoarsley. "Did you split your heart?! Like my parents did?!" she said, her voice taking an angry tone. Killian looked her in the eyes and nodded.

"You could've died, Killian!"

"It was worth it for you love."