Time continues to move forward while all he wants is to be able to turn back the clock.

She was gone, Emma, his beautiful princess, was gone and he was lost.

Henry showed up just a few minutes after she disappeared, clearly distraught and was now being comforted by his grandparents and adoptive mother.

Killian sat on the cold ground, defeated, staring at the dagger that sits directly in front of him.

Emma Swan.

Her beautiful name engraved on the dagger felt like it was being stabbed into his own heart. The darkness that he has been chasing for over 300 years to defeat has now taken over the woman he loves.

And he could do nothing to stop it.

He felt a hand on his shoulder but doesn't move to see who it is.

"Killian, it's getting late. There is nothing more we can do tonight; we can meet in the morning at Granny's to start working on a plan to save Emma. Go home, get some sleep." David's voice is soft and meant to be comforting but nothing could make him feel better.

Killian remains where he is, eyes still focused on the dagger, that is, until he felt another hand on his shoulder, a smaller hand.

Looking up Killian saw Henry standing next to him, tears still in his eyes.

"It's going to be ok Killian, we will save her, I know it. It's ok, go home. Operation Swan starts tomorrow."

He sat there a minute longer before standing up and walking away from the group.

He walked a few steps before turning back to face the group.

"Emma is my home."

The street became silent once again, Regina and Robin who had been talking silently to each other stopped to stare at the pirate. He watched as Robin pulled Regina closer and David do the same with Snow. The King and Queen both looked gutted at the loss of their daughter and stared at Killian with understanding, sympathy, and a hint of pity.

Unable to take the looks for a minute longer, Killian turned to continue to walk away from the group.

"Killian, wait!"

He stopped and turns to face the group once more and watches as Snow White approaches him.

"Killian, why don't you come back to the loft tonight? You can stay in Emma's room. It might feel better to be surrounded by her things and might feel a little less lonely then going back to the Jolly."

He remains silent, mostly out of fear that if he were to start talking he would fall apart, and he really did not want to do that in front of the Charming's or Henry.

Killian looks at Snow, gives her a nod, and follows behind the group as they head home. Henry decides to head home with Regina, still openly upset about the events of the night and needing the comfort of his remaining mother.

Snow leads David and Killian into the loft, thanking Belle for looking after baby Neal, and promising to fill her in on what happened in the morning.

As Snow goes to check on the baby, David turns to Killian before he can make his move up the stairs to Emma's room.

"Killian, I think you should look after this."

Killian looks down to see David handing him the dagger.

Another sharp pain rips through his heart at the sight of her name. He doesn't know if he will ever be able to get used to the fact that his Emma was the new Dark One.

Reaching for the dagger, Killian gives him a look.

Sighing, David releases the dagger. "You're the right person to guard this. Emma trusts you, Emma loves you. And I believe in you. I know that you will do everything in your power to protect her and bring her back to her family."

"I will die trying if I have to. I love her too, David."

"I know Killian, believe me, I have no doubts as to your affections for my daughter, but why don't we try to get her back without you dying. She will kill me, and you, if anything happens to you while she is … gone."

For the first time in what feels like days, Killian smiles. It was a small smile, but a smile none the less.

Giving one final look to David, Killian starts climbing the stairs and enters Emma's room.

Was it only just a few hours ago that Emma had thrown herself at him in a fierce hug that landed them on this very bed? Was it just hours ago that he saw Emma give him the biggest smile imaginable and almost tell him that she loved him.

He knew that was what she was originally going to say but didn't push her because he knew that she was still scared. He thought they would have more time together to hear the words from her and be able to return them but as life would have it he would hear the words but would not have a chance to return them. Not for a very long time.

Sitting down on the bed, Killian placed the dagger on the bedside table, inscription facing down, unable to look at it once more. He takes a few minutes just to sit there and let everything sink in before reclining onto his back and grabbing one of the pillows. Bringing it to his face he could smell the scent that was simply Emma.

It was then that he let himself let go, to let the tears come.

It's been more than 300 years ago since he felt pain like this; it was worse than losing Milah and more bittersweet than losing Liam. Emma was not truly gone, she was still alive, but the path they would all need to take was no doubt filled with such incredible pain that it felt like he might lose her forever and that scared him more than anything in the world.

Pulling the pillow over his face to muffle his cries, he tries to think about her, his Emma to stop the tears, but it doesn't work.

He lays there for what feels like days before exhaustion takes over and he falls into a deep sleep.

Tomorrow he will wake up and start the journey to rid the darkness from his one true love and bring her home to him.

He will bring his true love back and he will say those three words to her!