Tears, hot and unyielding, streamed down her face.

It wasn't supposed to end like this. Not with death. Not with losing someone. She had already lost so many people that it almost seemed impossible to happen anymore. Yet here she was, standing alone and trembling in some hospital room, with the one person she couldn't afford to lose dead in front of her.

Fairy tales were crap. She didn't care if they existed, they were complete and utter crap. Because if this life was really based off a fairytale then good would win over evil and the hero would be alive at the end getting the girl.

Emma let out a strangled gasp and took a hesitant step forward. His skin was cold and pale. His body unmoving. Dead. He was dead. Dead and never coming back. She was alone…again.

Her mind couldn't even register how it had gotten to this point. So many things had happened in such a short amount of time.

How the hell did this all happen?

"Who keeps calling you?" Killian asked irritably when her phone rang for the umpteenth time.

She glanced at it quickly and again saw Jefferson's name flash across the screen. It couldn't be that important, her mind reasoned, because if it was then it would be August calling her. No matter how strained their relationship was at the moment he knew she would answer if he kept calling like someone had died or something. "Jefferson" She answered with little care. "But that can wait at the moment, we have to get to Graham."

Killian nodded and pressed harder on the gas, his car zooming through the streets of Storybrooke.

Behind her Emma could hear voice. Soft murmurs and whispers, the words too low and fuddled for her to properly understand. She didn't care anyway. She didn't want to talk to anyone at the moment. She just wanted to be alone because she was good at that. She was comfortable with that.

But right now she was anything but comfortable.

Another sob broke past her lips when she got close enough to the bed to brush her fingertips against the white sheet.

"Damn it!" Jefferson growled as he threw his phone against the wall. "She's not answering."

August sighed as he placed his own cell phone down. "Killian isn't either. I think his phone is dead or something."

"Well what about Henry?"

August shot Neal a look as he awkwardly stood in the corner of his room at Granny's. He hadn't exactly invited back here after the library but had managed to tag along when August had been distracted with Jefferson's cryptic but hectic message that he needed to see him at his room now.

Neal rose his hands up in surrender. "This isn't some round about way for me to see Henry, I swear. It just makes sense that the two would be together isn't it?"

Jefferson looked back to August and gave a shrug.

The once puppet let out a huff but nonetheless grabbed his phone and dialed his nephew's number.

"Hello?" Henry answered on the third ring.

"Henry, hey, it's August. I was just wondering are you with Emma?"

"Oh, no, I just saw her here with Killian though. They figured out that Graham was the Huntsman so they had to go save his heart."

"I-wait, what?"

"Yea, in the story about Snow White remember the Evil Queen takes the Huntsman's heart?"

August was giving a rushed goodbye and hanging up his phone as he stood up. "I know where she is."

Jefferson nodded and walked promptly to the door, swinging it open but stopping short. "Oh dear" He said faintly.

There with his hand outstretched was Mr. Gold.

"Bae" He said in a broken tone when his eyes landed on his son.

Neal immediately bristled and narrowed his eyes at the older man. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Gold raised his hands in surrender (looking eerily like his son who had done the same exact thing only moments ago) and said in a very compliant tone "I'm not here for that I swear. I'm here to help."

"Help?" Neal let out a mirthless laugh. "All you do is help yourself."

"Not this time. Bae, your family is in danger. Regina-"

"Already know her plan, late to the update Rumple." Jefferson answered with a risky show of bravo.

The Dark One shot him a deathly look but with his son present remained calm. "Maybe you're aware of her plan but are you aware of how to stop her?"

And that had all three men quiet and listening.

"Emma"

Emma's whole body shuddered when she heard August behind her.

"Emma…I'm…I'm so sorry."

"Don't" She seethed, still refusing to turn around. "Don't say sorry to me. Don't pretend like you know how I'm feeling."

He let out a long sigh. "Please Emma. Don't fight with me. Not now. I just want to be here for you. I'm your brother, no matter what."

Still, she refused to look at him. She couldn't. A part of her blamed him even though she knew it was a completely wrong and unfair thing to do. She was blaming everyone at the moment though. Everyone who had a hand in this business and who lead to this moment.

Most especially, she blamed herself.

"Graham!" Emma screamed, rushing through the doors of the Sheriff's Station.

The man in question was currently throwing some darts, apparently having some down time to just relax. He lowered his hand and gave her a questioning look. "Emma?"

Emma stepped forward when Killian rushed in right after her. "Graham, this is going to sound completely insane. Trust me, I thought so too. But-but you're in danger and you really just have to trust us right now."

"She's right mate. You really need our help right now." Killian said softly.

Graham furrowed his brow in confusion. "What's wrong with you two? You're not making any sense. And you're completely out of breath, now come have a seat-" He stepped toward one of the chairs, grabbing the back of it to pull it out for Emma.

Then it happened.

His whole body suddenly jolted, his bones and muscles trembling for a horrific moment, and his knees quaked with the weight of his body. Graham let out a strangled gasp as his whole entire being fell to the floor, the thumping sound that followed loud and sickly.

Emma screamed as Killian rushed forward, too late to reach his fallen friend.

"Graham!" Killian yelled, grabbing his upper body and pulling him onto his lap. "Graham wake up!"

Emma fell onto her knees next to them and was pressing her face to his chest, listening for the sound any normal human being should have had.

But it was quiet. Deathly quiet.

"GRAMAH!" Killian cried again, this time much more broken and defeated. He knew what happened. He knew his friend was never going to wake up. But he still couldn't stop.

Liam flashed through his mind. Then it was Milah. Both of them in his arms, the air slowly leaving their lungs. The light in their eyes dyeing till there was nothing left. And now it was Graham. Now he was just another person he had lost in his long years of living.

"Killian," Emma whimpered, looking up to him with tears streaming down her face.

But he couldn't look at her. He couldn't take his eyes off Graham. A small sick part of him thought this was just a dream. That there was no way that this could happen to him AGAIN.

"Killian", Emma's hand cupped his cheek and guided him to look at her. "She knew Killian. She knew we were coming here."

Killian trembled as he tried to take control of his emotions. He would mourn. Oh he would mourn. But right now Emma needed him.

"Henry," He said after a moment. "We need to get him away from her. If she knows you believe…"

Emma's eyes widened and she immediately jumped to her feet.

"Miss Swan."

Now it was Doctor Whale. August was still in the room as well, she hadn't heard him leave.

"We need to…need to move him." Whale said after a tense moment.

Emma fingers dug deeper into the sheet, unwilling to let go. "Not yet" She said through clenched teeth.

"Miss Swan-"

"Not yet!" She screamed and turned on him with daggers in her eyes.

August promptly placed his hand on the doctor's shoulder and lead him out, murmuring some words about respecting boundaries.

Emma turned back towards the bed and offered a soft apology.

Regina smiled as the door shut and turned to walk down the stairs.

Mission accomplished. Now it would only be a matter of time until she would hear if her plan worked. Not if actually but when. Yes, it would work. There was no way it wouldn't.

And how more perfect it was now that it would be delivered in the hands of the one person who would sooner take her own heart out then deliver the fatal blow.

Outside Emma heard someone yelling and her mind immediately registered it was Neal.

Why he should be screaming she had no idea. This didn't concern him. This didn't effect him.

How dare he act like it did. How dare he pretend. More then any moment in her life, Emma hated him. More than when he slept with her. More than when she fell in love with him. More than when he had promised Tallahassee. More than when he had made her get the watches. More than when he left her. More than when he made her have a kid in prison and had to let it go.

She wanted to walk outside and punch him straight across the face but held back.

She wouldn't ruin the moment with doing that.

"Hello Henry" Mary Margaret smiled as she opened the door. "What can I do for you?"

Henry smiled as he walked into the loft and placed his backpack on the floor. "Just looking for Emma. Figured she wind up here at some point."

"Oh well then make yourself at home. I'm sure you're right, she'll turn up at some point. Hungry?"

Henry nodded eagerly and watched with bright eyes as she walked towards the kitchen.

Mary Margaret grinned at his eagerness. "Well let's see. I was just whipping something up now that I think about it-"

"Mary Margaret!" David's voice called from up the stairs. "I can't find the spare towels!"

She gave a soft laugh and rolled her eyes. "Men" She shrugged. "Oh but no offense."

"None taken" Henry replied.

"Wait just a second while I go help him okay?"

Henry watched as she disappeared up the stairs then wandered towards the kitchen with only curiosity and hunger to push him along. He noted the empty counter and the fact the oven wasn't on and especially that there were no sweet smells wafting in the air. Had she even been baking?

Then he spotted it.

Henry smiled widely as he reached out and grasped the plate in his hands.

Emma wiped at her face again even though there was no use. The tears would just not stop coming.

"Emma love."

She sobbed as his soft words hit her ears. Then his arms were around her waist, drawing her close to his warmth and protectiveness.

"He's gone Killian." She cried, tears fresh and new pouring down her face. "He's really gone."

He nuzzled his face into her hair and just kept planting small kisses there. He knew no words in the world that would bring any comfort at the moment. The best thing he could do, the only thing he could, was hold her.

And so he did.

Emma burst through the doors of the loft and instant relief rushed through her when she saw her son a few feet away.

"Henry!" She exclaimed happily just as he bit into what looked like some kind of turnover.

He smiled with his full mouth, crumbs falling down his face in a adorable manner and Emma almost cried.

He was safe and here. Now she could protect him.

"Emma?" Killian's voice said behind her, unsure and near fearful.

Emma was frozen as she saw Henry go white, the blood rushing from his skin (like Graham), and his hands dropped the turn over. His eyes closed (like Graham), his body crumpled (like Graham), and then he fell quietly and unmoving to the floor (like Graham).

"No," She whispered.

Not like Graham. Not like Graham. Not like Graham. Not like Graham.

"Henry? Henry!"

Outside the room everyone watched with blurry eyes as mother said goodbye to her son. David held Mary Margaret tightly while August starred pitifully down at the floor. Even Jefferson was quiet and mournful in the back.

Neal was pacing back and forth, everyone blatantly ignoring him, yelling and murmuring over and over again: "How did that help? It didn't! How did we stop her! We didn't stop her-he's dead! Dead!"

Regina was completely broken down on the floor, sobbing, but no one was there to comfort her.

"Emma" Killian said softly, squeezing her tightly. "The doctors have to take him now."

She squeezed her eyes shut. He was right. They couldn't stay here forever. Preparations had to be made. She nodded her head and pulled away from him. "Just…just let me say goodbye."

Killian wordlessly nodded his head and took a step back.

Emma placed her hand by her sons head and leant forward, making sure to take his youthful feature sin one last time. "Henry..." She whispered, nearing ever closer. Just as her lips were about to press against his skin she declared, "I love you."

A breeze blew through the air.

Colors, power, magic, tingled through everyone's bones.

And just before Emma could even process what the hell just happened as gasp caught all her attention.

Henry looked up her with sparkling eyes. "I love you too."

Authors Note: There it is guys, the intended final chapter of this story. Ta da!

But...of course it isn't hehe. I've got one more for you, lets call it a epilogue. This has always been a story that was about breaking the curse and would end when it happened. Kind of like the first season of the show. As of now, I really don't have any plans for a sequel but I guess never say never right?

Pretty please review and tell me if it was a worthwhile ending!