The sounds of fighting faded as the door shut behind Emma and Killian. They found themselves standing in an expansive library with floor to ceiling shelves filled with books outlining the large room with just a worktable and a few chairs for added furniture. A fireplace crackled at the far end of the room, flames leaping up towards the chimney making the air welcomingly warm compared to the rest of the cold stone castle. Sitting in an overstuffed throne-like chair, constructed of what looked like golden straw, was The Dark One watching them like a hawk. "It is rude to come uninvited into someone's home." His eyes were fixed on Emma studying her every move.

"What about burning someone's home to the ground?" Killian snapped.

The beast-like imp giggled sardonically. "I suppose you have a point there."

Emma continued walking slowly towards her enemy, sizing him up with each step. She thought she could see the vein in his neck twitching as he clenched his teeth. The Dark One was tense in her presence.

"What brings you here, Princess?" He snarled.

"You cursed my parents, destroyed my kingdom, slaughtered my subjects, and locked me in a cell to rot…why do you think I'm here?" Her voice was calm and calculated as she made her way to him.

"So you are here for revenge?"

It dawned on Emma that he was as much in the dark as she was as to what tied them together. An infant and a dark wizard, it was the most unlikely of pairings. She knew as much about their intertwined fates as he did. "I'm here because it is my destiny."

"Destiny!" He scoffed. "And who told you that, Merlin?"

Killian walked up, taking his place beside her. What surprised Emma most was that she felt no fear or anger talking to him, just a fiery purpose and determined resolve, never in her life had she been more certain that she was exactly where she needed to be. "Actually you did." She corrected him.

"Me?" The Dark One rose out of his chair and slowly closed the space between them; Killian flinched, his hand hovering over the hilt of his sword, ready to jump in. Emma gently touched his hand and shook her head. When he was inches away the wizard spoke again, sounding more intrigued than angry, "Explain what you mean."

"I paid no thought to you before you came after me; you are the one who told me who I really was. You are the one who took me from my family, twice! You are the one who locked me away instead of killing me and that peaked my curiosity. Why didn't you kill me? Could you kill me? You are the one who set me on this course, not Merlin. So why don't you tell me why it is my destiny to be standing here before you right now."

He leaned in close to her; it was the closest they'd ever been. She could smell his stale breath; feel the coldness radiating from his body instead of heat. His eyes were full of a hatred that she didn't understand but that still sent chills through her body like electric shocks. Emma was acutely aware that she was standing in the face of pure evil and the only thing she knew for certain was that more than anything he wanted her dead.

"I've had enough of this, step away from my wife!" Killian started to pull his sword from its sheath.

"I'd stay where you are dearie, unless you want a fire bolt to strike you across this room." The Dark One held his hand up ready to strike.

Emma came between the two men. "We all know that if you had your magic powers we wouldn't still be breathing. Whatever happened to Merlin when you killed him has rendered you powerless so let's just skip the bluffing and get straight to the matter at hand, why haven't you killed me when you've had the chance if I'm a threat to you?"

The Dark One opened his mouth to shoot back some witty retort when a revelation occurred to him. He smiled wickedly, licking his lips with glee; Merlin was a fool after all. In taking away his powers Merlin had made it possible for him to do the very thing that had been impossible all these years.

He started walking in circles around Emma and Killian as he began his story, "Merlin was my master, he trained me in magic centuries ago, I was his best student but it was never enough, I knew he was still more powerful and there was a whole section of magic that he hadn't let me touch, dark magic, the most powerful magic of all. I knew without it I would always be second best to Merlin and he would never allow me to achieve my true potential. I decided to take control of my own fate and I delved into the murky world of dark magic on my own, studying every book I could get my hands on and practicing outside my lessons with Merlin, he discovered me one day practicing on insects in my room. I had figured out how to control animals to kill for me. Merlin was horrified and the next day cast me away, but not before he warned me that he wouldn't let me achieve my goal of ultimate power and authority over all the realms, that he had bound me by magic to another, to an innocent who would one day restore the balance of good and evil. As long as this innocent lived and I possessed magic I would be unable to kill her. He told me I would always have the choice to rid myself of magic for good or ultimately meet my demise through her."

Emma's jaw dropped. She had been Merlin's contingency plan all along. The Dark One continued with his tale.

"It didn't take too much snooping to find out who the 'innocent' was that he'd referred to. He had countless trips to Misthaven, the kingdom that had just announced the birth of a princess, the one their King called his 'Swan Princess', I knew it must be you and I immediately set to work devising a plan to find a way around what Merlin had done, a loop hole if you like."

"The sleeping curse" Emma whispered.

"I couldn't kill you but what if I could curse you to sleep for all time. Only true love's kiss would break the spell and everyone who knew and loved you would be cursed as well. However you managed to escape through my fingers…" He glared angrily at Killian. "So I had to hunt you down, but once I found the wrecked carriage you were nowhere to be found, the Queen had gotten to your first after hearing rumours that you were a child that possessed greater magic than me; she thought she could use you to her own advantage. I only learned of your capture after you escaped but you slipped through my fingers once again. For years I hunted you, I even had my son Baelfire help me once King Liam's wedding was announced and I heard the Misthaven crown was in Aaralyn."

"You." Killian spoke up, "You killed my brother and his wife for the crown!"

"It's not hard to wreck a ship when you're The Dark One." He taunted Killian, licking his lips smugly. "Alas I thought the crown had gone down with the ship, I spent weeks scouring the ocean floor; I needed that crown to perform a locator spell to find you. So I sent Baelfire to Misthaven to look for it…"

"Not knowing that the very girl you were looking for was his partner." Emma added.

"Believe me dearie; the irony is not lost on me. But my mistake was quickly rectified, thanks to your doting husband casting you aside." He taunted Killian, giving him a wink. "When I had you once again I locked you in a cell you couldn't break free from…at least that you shouldn't have been able to break free from, how did you do it? Blood from Baelfire"

Emma remained silent.

" Not that it matters, you see…it's almost poetic, because Merlin took my power away to give you your chance to defeat me forgetting that it was my magic that kept you safe all this time. So, now that I have no magic I'm perfectly free to do this!"

The Dark One lunged forward plunging his danger into Emma's heart.

Robin had lost count of how many of The Dark One's guards their taken down but they still came trickling through the halls like an infestation. One final boom from the distance and they knew the gate had fallen, their army was storming the castle and it was only a matter of time before reinforcements would be here. It gave them a new wave of energy fighting off their foes. David, despite being dormant for two decades fought bravely and with as much skill as one would expect hearing the legends of King David the warrior King, the other men couldn't help but feel honoured to fight by his side. Two more guards ran through and he took them out effortlessly. He was fighting for his daughter's life and nothing was going to hold him back. Graham stood at one end of the hall firing arrows at the guards as the came running towards them, stopping most of them before they could reach his comrades. Each arrow made it easier for his friends, gliding past them effortlessly and taking out oncoming threats, until an arrow came from the other direction. Will caught the guard out of the corner of his eye pulling out a bow of his own, aiming at Graham, and pulling it back to fire an arrow, instinct kicked in and he jumped in front of Graham, the arrow piercing his flesh as he shielded his friend. Graham's world stopped when he saw his Will's body fall to the ground at his feet, letting go of the arrow in his hand he took down the enemy archer with one shot then fell to his knees calling Will's name as Robin and David fought on.

Emma's body fell to the ground. "No!" Killian screamed throwing himself at The Dark One knocking him to the floor. Killian punched him repeatedly until his face was covered in blood. The Dark One spluttered; his breathing heavy and forced. Killian stood above him and pulled out his sword lifting it to drive through the man who had taken everything away from him. The form of the man below him was blurred, blinded by his hatred he blinked repeatedly trying to clear his vision when he realised he was crying, tears flowed and his heart ached. Somewhere deep in the darkest part of him a notion festered, telling him that the only way to end the pain was to kill the one responsible for it. His fingers gripped his sword tighter preparing to end this once and for all. He glanced over at his wife's lifeless form crumpled on the ground like a trodden rose. Blood flowed from her wound, trickling across the stone floor; he followed the trail which led to her hand lying open loosely holding her silver pendant. He couldn't explain why but something drew him to reach down and pick it up, he could still feel the warmth of her fingers. He turned the pendant over in his hand and rubbed his finger across the inscription on the back. The words had already begun to fade but he could still make them out. One word shone brighter than the rest, Killian looked at his dead wife, the pain in his heart searing as if someone had pierced him with a hot poker, then looked back at that word shining up at him, he knew what he had to do, no matter how hard and how much his entire being was fighting against it.

The Dark One began to stir on the floor, too weak to get up; his eyes fell on Killian, standing over him. "What's the matter?" he croaked, "You've waited all this time and now you have your chance you're too much of a coward to avenge their deaths?"

Killian put his sword back in its place; the action sent a bolt of pain through The Dark One's body making him cry out. Killian frowned at the reaction, the looking at the word shining from Emma's necklace again it started to make sense. "I'm not going to kill you." His words sent The Dark One's body into convulsions. He knelt down beside the man he'd spent years hating, Countless hours fantasizing about how he would torture and kill him. He let go of his anger, let go of his quest for vengeance, knowing he had nothing left but Henry and the memory of his princess, a memory he would honour by keeping his word and doing the right thing. Bending down he spoke slowly and clearly into The Dark One's ear. "There is no punishment adequate for the heinous acts you have committed; you've killed thousands, including my family. You will have to answer for each life you've taken, but not to me. I will not give over to the same darkness that has ruled your soul. It is not for me to kill you; it is for me to forgive you and with that to free my own soul from the torment I've inflicted upon myself for too long. Let the higher powers that be decide your judgement."

"No!" The Dark One roared; his body began to contort unnaturally in every direction, as if an invisible hand was squeezing the life from him.

"I forgive you" Killian said again, in a stronger voice full of conviction. He stood and stepped back turning his face from the grotesque scene before him. When he heard The Dark One's last squealing breath he returned to his wife's body.

"Emma" He whispered, knowing she could no longer hear him. Even in death she was beautiful beyond compare. A tear ran down his cheek as he tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and leaned forward to kiss her forehead. He lay there beside her mourning the future they would never have. His attention was caught by a light emitting from The Dark One, his body turned to dust and rose drifting out of the library window. Killian was turning his attention back to Emma when he saw the same light coming from her and fearing the same thing was about to happen he panicked, "no, no, Emma don't leave me yet" he cried, clinging to her body, not ready to say his final goodbye. However instead of turning to dust the colour started to return to her skin, He looked down and saw the blood that had gushed from her fatal would reverse its flow and making its way back into her body. Killian watched in disbelief as Emma's chest began to rise and fall again taking in breaths and finally her eyes opened, "Killian?" she gasped.

"Emma?" He scooped her up in his arms going back and forth between embracing her tightly and pulling back to look at her to make sure he wasn't dreaming. "How?"

She cupped his face in her hands, "You did it Killian; you fought the darkness inside you and chose forgiveness over vengeance." She wiped the tears as they fell from his eyes.

"You knew? You knew that if I forgave him you would come back?" He asked.

"Not exactly, but I knew forgiveness was the key and that I had to die. I knew that only light could defeat darkness, only the righteous path led to victory. Every time we've been torn apart fate has brought us back together and I hoped that this would be no different, even if it meant us being reunited in the afterlife, I knew our story wasn't over.

"So there was no magic after all?" Killian asked as he helped Emma up to her feet.

She shrugged, "magic comes in all forms."

"Aye, luv, you have a point there." He leaned down and kissed her, pulling her in closer to him.

Waves lapped on the shore, the sound carrying up the cliff side cemetery. Ruby laid a white rose down on the grave of the man who saved her husband's life. "Thank you, Will" She said softly, then turned back to the group gathered behind her, she outstretched her arms to take her son from his father's hands, "There you go, Will, back to mama," Graham said as he took his turn to approach the grave and give his respects a year on from the day Will saved his life. He took a flask from his pocket and filled a shot glass, laying it by the rose Ruby had left. "I owe you my life, mate."

He felt Killian's hand squeeze his shoulder and Emma joined them to lay her own white rose, followed by Robin, King David, and Queen Mary Margaret.

The wind blew strong from the sea, a storm was no doubt making its way to them. But the group stood in silence remembering their friend. Eventually one by one they started to make their way back to the castle. King David and Queen Mary Margaret had to travel back to Misthaven that night. Emma walked them back to their carriage, arms linked with her mother. "Do you have to leave tonight?" she asked, not for the first time that day. Mary Margaret chuckled, "Emma, you know we do, we have to get back to the kingdom, but don't worry we'll be back in two months for your anniversary ball."

"Yes, so you better save your old man a dance!" King David hugged his daughter.

Emma rolled her eyes, "You know fine well I will be too fat to dance by then!" She rubbed her belly, only just beginning to show signs of the new life growing inside her.

"You will be glowing as always." Killian's voice came from behind them. He slipped his hand around Emma's waist kissing her on the temple, "And I for one cannot wait to see it." He beamed.

"I think the only person more excited than Killian for this baby's arrival is Henry!" Emma giggled, "He can't wait to be a big brother."

"He will be the best brother the baby could possibly hope for." Mary Margaret gushed over her grandson.

"How is the little prince or princess doing?" Killian asked Emma laying his hand on her stomach.

"With all the sickness and discomfort they're causing me I'd say they are more pirate than royalty!" Emma laughed.

"Well then they'll fit right in." Killian kissed her again, "Why don't you ride back to the palace with your parents, I'm going to stay a little longer."

Emma nodded and Killian kissed her hand before helping her into the carriage and waving her off.

Robin was the only one left at Will's grave when Killian returned. He didn't need to look to know Killian was there beside him. Looking out at the sea Robin reflected, "You know, I keep thinking back to that day, playing it over again in my mind, if there was anything I could have done to…"

"You can't do that, mate. Will wouldn't want it. He loved us, all of us, and he didn't think twice about putting his life on the line for his friends. You wouldn't have hesitated either if you were closer. That could have been any of us."

Robin looked around the cemetery, full of graves lined as far as he could see; a testament to the magnitude of The Dark One's reign of terror. "It's still hard to believe that it's all over; that evil is really gone."

"Evil will always be there, lying under the surface biding its time and waiting for its chance to rise again." Killian said gravely. "But good is also always present and wherever there is evil there will be good ready to fight it." he watched the invisible force of the wind, now picking up, move the world around them, trees shook at its power, leaves and pebbles scurried away, the waves of the ocean thrashed against the rocks, then lifting his eyes he saw a clearing in the clouds far on the horizon. "Evil, no matter how strong, can never win because eventually good will overcome it and chase it back into its hole."

Robin shook his head, "Can't it also be said then that good can never win because eventually evil will crawl back to the surface in a new form to wreak havoc and destroy the good's hard work? Are not good and evil two sides of the same coin?"

Killian smiled and lay his hand on Robin's shoulder, "That, my friend is why we must never stop fighting for what is right and to teach our children to do the same." He looked down the road at the carriage carrying Emma back to the palace. "We must never stop fighting for our future."

The End.

I have a lot I need to say, first of all thank you everyone who has read this fic and left comments, shared it, and supported it, especially those who have read from the first post and stuck with it despite me having to take almost a year out from writing, I hope I have done it justice and made it worth your while.

The message of this story was really important to me, especially in the world we live in today with so much anger and hate and fear. I wanted to write a story about hope, forgiveness, and love.

Shout out to my inspirations for this story, Once Upon A Time, Hamilton: An American Musical, Tangled, Lord Of The Rings and a pretty incredible woman I need to tell you about...

Having a female pirate as my protagonist may have seemed very topical, challenging gender norms but a successful, fearless, and awesome woman pirate isn't a 21 century concept. In fact the most successful pirate to have ever lived was in fact a woman, Ching Shih ( look her up) brings us a lot of our 'pirate culture' such as the pirates code. She commanded men, protected women and children, accumulated extraordinary wealth and retired from piracy, living to tell her swashbuckling tales for years to come. I didn't break the mould, she did...back in the 18th century. And there is a little bit of her in my Emma. So thank you Ching.