Falling Stars (CaptainSwan)

Chapter Twenty One Always and Forever

Killian Jones

I hear Emma's screams echoing throughout the corridor. I squeeze Henry's hand. The both of us are being tortured by her screams. They come out muffled like she's trying not to scream. She knows we can hear and she's trying to ease our pain. She's the one suffering and she's still trying to protect us.

Henry sucks in a breath when her screams suddenly stop. We look at each other, the same fear reflected back at each other. I know what we're both thinking, I just hope we're wrong.

When I hear boots pounding down the corridor, my body goes cold. I feel numb inside. They wouldn't have stopped if she wasn't dead...I close me eyes and look at the ceiling. I can't bear the thought that she might be dead. When the dungeon door opens and Charming unlocks the cell door, I turn to Henry.

Quickly I say: "Stay strong, lad. If you can get the Author to re-write the story, nothing will have happened to us. Even if we can't escape this and I never see you again, I want you to know that I love you like a son. I know I'll never replace Baelfire, but maybe one day we can be a family." Before I can say anything else, Charming grabs my arms and drags me out of the room.

Henry yells something to me that gets lost in my struggles. Charming pushes me into a room and slams the door. I hear a lock click. The room is dark and freezing cold. I can barely see anything and I'm already losing feeling in my fingertips. I hear a small groan. When my eyes finally adjust to the darkness, I see her. I scream her name and run over to her, placing her head in my lap, pushing her bloodied blonde hair behind her ear.

My heart stops in fear. She's barely breathing and she doesn't look at me. I'm not even sure if she knows I'm here. I can't lose her. I have to find a way to save her.

"Emma, hold on," I whisper, a tear falling down my cheek. Her skin is as cold as ice. That may also be part of the problem. I take off my heavy leather jacket and wrap it around her, bringing her close, hugging her to my chest. "Don't leave me, please."

I feel her cold hand on my cheek. "I love you," she whispers hoarsely. She thinks she's dying. She thinks this is her last chance to say it.

"No, no, no, you're not dying. Hang on, Swan. Please, don't leave me," I beg her. Tears fall down my face, one after the other. My breath comes out raggedly. I can't lose her. She's my other half, my everything. Losing her would be like losing a huge part of myself. She's the light in my world of darkness, the color in my dull gray world. The only thing that matters in my life.

"It's okay," she whispers, tearing my heart into a million pieces. "You can let me go." I see a tear roll down her face as her green eyes finally focus on mine. My heart breaks even more if that's possible. "You have to...move on."

"That's not possible," I answer in a weak voice. "Swan, I can't lose you. I can't move on from you. I can't let you go. You have to stay with me. Please, don't leave. Please."

"Stay strong...for...for...Hen..ry." My eyes widen in fear. This can't be happening. This can't be real. It has to be another dream. My precious Swan can't be gone. She can't be.

"Swan?" I ask in a wavering voice. "Emma?" My voice raises with every time she doesn't respond. "No, no, no." I put a finger under her nose. There's no breath and her chest doesn't rise or fall. "Emma!" I scream. "Say something, please. Please!" She remains silent and still.

I didn't tell her I love her when she told me....I'd been so insistent that she would survive, I hadn't been thinking what would happen if she didn't. "I love you," I tell her, leaning into her lips, "Always and forever." I place a soft kiss on her lips, a hollow feeling taking place inside of me.

This is my torture, I realize. Instead of killing me, Snow's going to keep me alive for a little while, knowing that I watched my true love die in my arms and I was powerless to do anything to stop it.

When the door opens, I feel rage. They're not taking her away from me. They're going to just burn her body or something cruel if they get a hold of it. I won't let them. I hold on to her tightly. Her figure is limp and I try not to sob at the feeling.

"Let her go," Charming says. "I don't want to have to hurt you more than necessary, but I will use force to get her."

My face is buried in her hair so when I talk, it comes out muffled: "You can't have her."

"I can and I will," Charming says. That's the last thing I remember before I feel a huge weight hit me on the back of my head and I black out.

"Let me go," she whispers. She wears a silver dress and her hair is being blown back by the wind. She holds out her hands and takes my hand in hers. Her smile lights up my whole world. "Killian, I know you held onto your first love for three hundred years, but you can't do that this time. You have to let me go. Henry needs a parent. You're the only person who can be there for him right now. Please, Killian. Please do this for me."

I stare at her. "I love you," I choke out.

She smiles sadly. "I know," she says. "But you can love someone and let them go. Just like I did with Neal, just like you did with Milah, and now what you're going to do with me."

"No, I can't I--" I start to say.

She comes close and puts her lips inches from mine. "Yes you can. You just have to close your eyes, and you have to picture the best memory with me. Then, slowly tell yourself that you will always love me, but you have to let me go. Do it. It will work."

I can't think straight with her lips so close to mine. I pull her in for a kiss and she smiles on my lips. The kiss feels so familiar but different at the same time. It's because I'm dreaming...because Emma's not really here and neither am I.

I pull away from her and look deep into her eyes once more. There's no letting her go. She will always be in my heart and she will always be my one true love. Always and forever. I will never let her go.

Emma frowns softly as if she can hear my thoughts. "One day," she says quietly, "You'll find another woman, and you'll let me go just like you did with Milah. I bet you felt the same way about her when she died that you feel now."

I shake my head. "No," I tell her. "I really did love Milah, but there's a difference between loving someone, and really loving with your whole being. You're my true love. I can't move on from you. I love you."

Again she smiles sadly. "I love you too."

And just like that, I wake up. I'm in the dungeon again and Henry's staring at me, tears running down his face. I pull him in for a hug and he buries his head in my shoulder as he sobs.

"We'll get through this, Henry, and we'll do it together," I tell him as the tears come again.
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Yay! Two updates in one day! I actually made myself cry a little in this chapter. Wow...I'm so mean. Please don't hate me. As Snow would say: Have hope. And as I would say: Have hope and don't kill the author. Comment your thoughts!