Well all of these episodes are roller coaster rides now, aren't they? Yet another little prediction for the mid-season finale. I honestly have no idea what's going to happen, but I so badly want it to be an accumulation of all the fics out there on the matter :)

…

You Said That You Would Die For Me

(but you must live for me too)

…

It's when everyone starts making their way towards Granny's for the obligatory post-curse celebration that Emma realises someone very important is missing. She remembers Killian saying something about chaining himself to the docks and she hopes that he's still there and still alright. For a curse that threatened to kill everyone in the town, there doesn't seem to be any casualties apart from the Snow Queen herself and it scares her to think that Killian could be the exception to the rule.

He does so love going rogue and being the rebel.

So when he's not on the docks, she feels her heart rate pick up and her head spin as she tries to think of anything else he might have said before they had parted. This is why she doesn't do tearful goodbyes – she can't remember anything but the taste of his lips on hers and the way his fingers had gripped her in desperation.

She takes a deep breath, closing her eyes and focusing on that feeling, a tug pulling at her heart a moment later. Her feet carry her back up towards the town, eyes searching frantically for him. And then, by some complete stroke of luck, she sees him up ahead of her closing the door of Gold's shop behind him.

A thousand questions run through her head about what he had been doing in there and how come he hadn't joined the celebrations on the street. But sitting above any of that is one prominent thought.

God she has missed him.

It's been a few hours and she misses him. And she's really not sure what to do with that, so she does exactly what her body tells her too, rushing forward and locking him in an embrace that makes her arms shake until she simply breaks down in tears. "I am so glad you're okay," she mumbles into his neck, taking in the scent of him and letting it sear into her memory banks.

He stiffens in her arms and lightly pushes her backwards. "Darling," he whispers, no idea how to finish the impossible sentence. Because how do you tell the woman you love that she's going to lose you? How do you break her heart at the height of everything wonderful between you?

"Hey," she says, ducking her head a little so she can meet his downcast eyes, "It's okay. We made it."

He shakes his head, bottom lip quivering as his jaw ticks increase to keep himself from falling apart.

Emma frowns, her hand coming up to the side of the pirate's face, thumb brushing over his lips. "What's wrong?" she asks, knowing that he'll tell her now, knowing that it is finally the time that he won't be able to hold it in any longer. She's sensed that something has been off for the last week, but hasn't pushed it. Now though, she can see it in his eyes, she can see fear. And when Killian Jones is scared, the world becomes a more terrifying place.

He grasps at her free hand, bringing it up to his chest, pushing past his vest and his shirt and resting it gingerly above where his heart should lie. "Whatever happens today, Swan, know that this is yours." He raises his gaze to meet hers, "I am yours."

The tears that had been falling only a minute ago out of happiness, turn to concern in a fraction of a second, "Killian, what are you talking about? The curse is over."

"It will never be over," he presses her hand more firmly against his chest and that's when she feels it.

Nothing.

Where there should be a steady thump, there is nothing.

"Oh god," she whispers, her eyes flying across his chest as though looking for an answer written there, but she already knows what's happened, can already feel a rage building inside of her, "Gold."

His head drops in defeat, no words passing from his lips and she understands now just why he hadn't been able to tell her anything. Something tightens in her chest as she realises all these demons he's been battling on his own. When she had been chasing her own nightmares and trying to rid herself of powers, he had been losing his heart and it breaks hers to know that he will stop at nothing to protect her. How does she deserve that love? How was she the lucky one who got it?

His hooked arm is wrapped around her waist, holding her as close as he possibly can. She leans into his embrace, forehead touching against his as they block out the world. She knows that he's only still alive because the Dark One would want him alive and she knows that it could be at any second that he's given the command to kill her on the spot. So she lifts up on her toes, letting her lips brush against his. It's different now that she knows; it's like she can feel his desperation in every touch and this time, when he latches on to her kiss and pulls at her bottom lip, she lets it become everything it could be because she understands that it could be their last.

His hand leaves hers where it is still gripping against his chest and tangles in her hair, tilting her head to the side and plunging his tongue between her lips. She returns the vigour, taking a cue from the tightening of his arm around her and rolling her hips forward to meet his. He groans out a sigh, pushing back and letting his lips find a path down her jaw, down her neck, biting at the spot he knows can make her moan.

The streets are empty but, for all they care, they could be full and no one could interrupt this moment. It's carnal and fraught with the fear of the unknown and Emma knows that it could change in a second.

He breaks away, breathing heavily and searching out her gaze as she opens her eyes. Her lips are full and pink, hair a mess, neck lightly grazed with love and his stubble, and has never loved her more – with or without his heart.

She drags her hand up his chest, to his neck and his jaw and finally to his cheek, her tenderness shocking him after their moment of pure hunger a moment ago, "Hey, we're going to get through this, okay?"

He nods, despite it all, despite the odds seemingly always stacked against them, because he believes in her. If that's the one thing he has in the world, it's belief in her.

"And after this," she continues, "No more curses ripping at us, no more hearts being stolen. We're going to beat this together and then we're going to be happy." She says it with conviction, even though he can sense that she's worried about the outcome of his heart not being in his chest right now.

The slightest of smiles flickers across Killian's face, then quickly replaced by a grimace as he breathes in a sharp breath. Emma takes a quick step back, looking around the empty street, trying to work out where Gold is hiding, but Killian shakes his head, fighting the Crocodile's control. "Go," he gets out on a strained whisper.

She takes sweeping look at him, trying to memorise every feature of him, before running for Granny's diner, ready to recruit any one she can for the next big crisis. Gold had needed Hook alive for a reason and that reason is happening now – she is positive she will find an army ready and willing to fight one more battle. She chances a glance back at the pirate, wanting to wave one last time but, by the time she has the courage to look up at him, he is just an empty shell, a pawn awaiting instruction.

She pushes harder then, sprinting towards the main part of town, feeling worry swirl in her chest. But always in the corner of her mind is her mantra of happiness. Emma Swan has been tasked with bringing back happy endings. And it's about time she got hers too.

…

Thoughts?