Losing Light

Chapter 8

Killian and Emma walked into the castle and went straight to the throne room. A bottomless feeling sat in the pit of his stomach. What if Mary Margaret tried to take Emma away? Of course she would try. She loved her. He had to let Emma decide.

The doors opened and David sat on his throne. Mary Margaret looked up and flung herself into Emma's arms. She cried on her shoulder.

"Are you okay? What did he do to you? Did he hurt you?" Mary Margaret asked each question without pause.

"I'm fine, mother. He didn't hurt me. I'm fine," Emma reassured her, pulling her into another hug.

"When I said that we needed to talk, I didn't want you to bring her," David said, gesturing to Emma with his head.

"Aye, I did. She wanted to come back. I could see it in her eyes. I've accepted that she doesn't want to be with me. I'm willing to give her up."

"You'd do that? Just so she could be happy?"

"Does that surprise you?"

"Well you are the ruler of the Underworld."

He looked down. "Yeah, that I am. Look, I just want Emma to be happy. I'll move on. I'm sure of it."

"You'd give up your happiness to ensure hers?"

"Absolutely. I love her Dave. And that's why I have to let her go. If she loves me back then she'll find her way to me." His eyes glazed over with unshed tears. He put his hand on David's arm and moved to Emma.

"I'm borrowing her for a moment," Killian said to Mary Margaret. He pulled Emma out of the room and into the hallway.

"What are you doing, Killian? I can sense that something is wrong," she said, putting her hand on his cheek. "You can tell me anything."

He gave her a forced smile. "I'm fine, love. It's just that I'm returning you home."

"But we just got here."

"No, your home here, on Olympus. You don't deserve me and you aren't entirely happy."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that you should be happy where you want to be. Not where I'm forcing you to be."

"You're abandoning me?"

"Not because I want to. I love you, but the threats your mother has made to the mortals have been severe. She won't replenish their crops unless you are home." He grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it, "goodbye, my Swan."

He went to take his hand from hers but she was squeezing it. Not letting him go. Tears were rolling down her cheeks. "Don't leave me Killian. Please."

He went up to her and kissed her lips briefly. "I'm sorry."

She fell to her knees and watched him disappear into the portal back to the Underworld. "I need you. I love you," she whispered.

David and Mary Margaret burst out of the throne room and saw Emma on her knees. "What did he have you do?" Mary asked grabbing her head in her hands.

Emma stood up and glared at her mother. "He left me and it's all your fault! He's gone because he thought I'd be happier here, but I'm not!"

"Are you saying you fell in love with him?"

"Yes. I am." And with that, Emma stomped to her old room. She collapsed onto the bed and cried. She hoped that Killian would be watching her again. She hoped that he saw the tears streaming down her face and she wanted him to burst through the doors and wipe them away.