Upon opening your eyes, all you saw were his. His sparkling and beautifully lit blue eyes gazed into yours, and looking in the corner of your eye, you noticed you were in Storybrooke, in the middle of the road in the dead of night. Looking back at your lover, you see his hesitation. Your expression, however, did not mirror his confusion and heartbroken terror. Your colorless lips, blending into your pale and moonlit skin, formed a sly smile upon looking at the horror of his and the rest of your friend's faces. A dark, almost cheery laugh escaped your lips when you felt those dark thoughts cloud every part of your mind, and you alone could hear the whispers and taunts of past Dark Ones, calling to the dagger...your dagger.
"Y/N?"
You look down to see that you were wearing a black leather dress made for the Enchanted Forest with a dark hood and cloak attached to it. Your eyes were covered in black make up. Mascara, eyeshadow, eyeliner, etc. Your hair had grown longer and turned into a shade blacker than black and placed nice and snug into your belt buckle was the Dark One's dagger...with your name engraved on it.
You grin at Emma's voice calling out to you, "Sadly, Y/N's dead."
Emma's eyes were their usually big and teary-eyed self, with her long thin lips formed into a frown of betrayal. Her arms held Henry back from going any closer to you while David and Mary Margaret stood beside them, with Baby Neal in Snow's arms. Regina and Robin stood close, as the once former Evil Queen scoffed in the sad disbelief she felt seeing you like this.
"But...why?"
You rolled your eyes, slowly starting to walk a circle around all of them, snarling in your nasty, sly voice, "Maybe I was sick and tired of being some naive girl you all thought needed protecting. That you all thought was too weak to aid you on your adventures or your small tasks at saving the world. That I couldn't take all that evil and defeat it myself!"
"Y/N, you've seen so many awful things happen in your life, we didn't want you to go through anything else-!" Mary Margaret tried to reason with you, her eyes full of sadness.
"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST GIVEN ME THE DECENCY OF SAYING GOODBYE TO BAELFIRE!" You roared suddenly, driving Emma and Mary Margaret to tighten their grip around their children.
You had never forgiven your so-called friends from keeping you from your brother for so long, even in death, thinking that they were protecting you from all the pain that went with your older brother, Neal. The only man in your whole life who had stayed by your side, no matter the betrayal or unspeakable things you've done.
"Both times I lose him, and you keep me from him. When he went through that portal, shot, and when he sacrificed himself for our father. Both times, you had kept me away in fear that I might be triggered to do something evil again...There was so much I wanted to say to him...but you just kept him all to yourself, right, Emma?"
You had stopped walking right in front of the Saviour, the very person who had all your brother's affection. You had grown to stand taller than her, and not slouching away like a coward that you usually were. You had glared down into her soul as she tried desperately to stand tall against you, but she knew this was the ultimate betrayal, and she couldn't be strong against the Dark One...especially if that very Dark One was her best friend.
You knew this. You knew that you were a weakness to Emma, and you knew she would never try to hurt you, unlike any other villain she's faced, "You took away my one chance of making things right with the only man who ever believed in me. Now..."
You lean forward to whisper in her ear, a smile forming on your lips again, "I'm going to take away everyone who's ever believed in you."
"Over my dead body," Emma managed to speak with a forced act of bravery, despite what she felt.
You cackled darkly, looking terrifyingly happy in everyone's eyes, "Oh, Emma...that's what I'm counting on."
"Y/N."
Your head tilts in the direction of that familiar accent, and you almost forgot Killian was even there! He stood away from all the others, and he had that heartbroken look of betrayal still on his face, his hook brought close to his side. You smirk, drawing yourself closer to him, walking up to him while swaying your hips, your fingers trailing up his jacket once you reached him. You had that desperate look in your eye as you stared up at him with longing.
"What do you think? I feel like that same villain you fell in love with all those years ago." You cooed softly.
"Why are you doing this?" Was all he asked, not believing that the woman he loved was the very Dark One he's spent centuries trying to kill.
You bite your lip seductively, acting as if it was only the two of you left in the world, and that no one was watching. "Because..." You watch your fingers trail to his beard, and hold his chin in your hand, then your eyes dart back up to him and your voice lowers, "Because I want to."
Then you disappear in a cloud of gray smoke.
~~~~~~~~~
As you hide away in Rumplestiltskin's cabin, you hear that familiar voice in your head,
"Congratulations! You didn't even need my help to embrace the darkness!"
You turn around to see the figure of Rumplestiltskin, scales and all, sitting comfortably on your windowsill. Of course, you knew it wasn't the REAL Rumple, only a figment of your imagination, a courtesy of being a Dark One. You have the voices of all the past Dark Ones spinning around in your head as a guide. This guide, however, just happens to take form in the man you hate the most.
"So tell me! How did it feel to run my own dagger through my heart?" This version of Rumple slurred with an evil grin, staring up at you with those snake eyes.
And like a mirror, you form that same exact, sly smirk on your face, your upper lip twitching with lustful anger, "Exhilarating," you hissed.
Rumple breaks out in his signature cheery and rather scary laugh, clapping his hands together. Your smile slowly forms into a frown, then you turn away.
"But seeing you only reminds me of that. So if I am to listen to one of my guides, I would rather speak to Nimue than you." You sneered.
Rumple and his smile vanishes into smoke and is replaced by a reptilian looking woman, Nimue, the first ever Dark One.
"Let's get to work," she draws out in your ear.
~~~~~~~~~
Almost a week goes by and no one's heard from you. Your silence freezes everyone in town to the bone, knowing that you must be plotting something evil and could strike at any moment. It gives everyone an edge and is more cautious as to where they step. You absolutely love the fear you've bestowed upon them without even doing anything.
Today, however, wasn't the case as someone enters the cabin you had in the middle of the woods. To be honest, it wasn't your cabin. It was your father's, Rumplestiltskin. But it's not like he was ever gonna need it again.
"How did you find me?" You ask with a bored expression as you had your back turned from your intruder, facing the burning fireplace.
"I know you well enough that you would retreat to a secluded place that smelled of home."
One corner of your lips turn up into a smirk at Killian's voice, and you turn to your pirate, mocking his tone, "Hello, love."
He huffs out of disbelief, his face looked like he hasn't slept in a while, "Look at you. Hiding in your own father's cabin and you're not even upset that he's dead."
"You should thank me!" You exclaimed while twirling your crooked dagger in your hands, "You've spent hundreds of years trying to kill Rumplestiltskin...and I did it for you in all of two seconds."
"I know what it's like to murder your own father, and I know it will not settle well in your stomach for long-!"
"That's a great idea! We should form an I Killed My Father Club and invite Regina to it! I guess we could invite Rumple, too, but you know-! He died." You squeal happily while clapping your hands together.
Hook tried not to give up this easy and sighed, "Why didn't you tell me you were hurting? That you were being tempted into darkness? I would've helped you-!"
"No! You would've held me back! You would've locked me away from the world just like everyone in this godforsaken town has done to me since Day One! You would've put me in time out if I even mentioned I wanted to be a villain again!" You yelled back, looking down at your fingers then bringing them close to your face as you examine them further like a map.
"Besides...I wanted to give into the darkness. I love power," you draw out a long moan, "I would have never asked you to help me get rid of the temptation in the first place."
Killian looked as if he had lost you for good, and that the woman in front of him was a whole different person entirely. "The other day...you said Baelfire was the only person who ever believed in you...but that's not true. I believed in you."
"Then you shouldn't have treated me like a child who couldn't take the heat," you snapped, your voice lowered. You smile suddenly with a shrug, "Besides," you walk up to him, staring into those gorgeous blue eyes, "The difference between you and Neal is that he is family. He will always have a place in my heart. You? You're welcome to leave my life whenever you please...just don't block the doorway for others to get in."
Killian stares at you with long, silent moments, his heart-shattering at your words. He looked into your eyes, and where he used to see love, all he saw was lust. You no longer loved him.
"I may no longer have a place in your heart...but you will always have a place in mine. I know you're still in there, Y/N. And I will find you."
He leans down to whisper in your ear, his breath trailing down your spine, "I will always find you."
He walks out of the cabin, slamming the door shut behind him while you smile evilly in the place where he once stood. You found him foolishly brave for ever thinking he could still save you. You were the Dark One now, and a Dark One cannot be saved unless you kill it.
~~~~~~~~~
"I don't understand," Regina announced while everyone had broken into your secret lair when you weren't home, "These potions don't do anything to start a curse. And if she wanted Emma to feel what she feels she probably would've done a curse similar to mine."
"Then...what do these potions do?" Henry asked curiously while picking up a vile.
His adoptive mother notices the vile he's carrying and snatched it from him for further confirmation. Everyone turns and waits for Regina to see the ingredients you were using for your evil plan and Regina slumps at the realization.
"She's not brewing up a curse. This is much smaller than that. She's trying to form a potion that works similar to the Magical Ale of DunBroch."
"But why would she...?" David stops when they all suddenly realize what you were up to.
"She's giving herself a second chance at saying goodbye to Neal," Emma bows her head.
"She's at the cemetery." Hook exclaims as they all run out of the lair.
~~~~~~~~~
Setting a rose down beside the grave of Neal Cassidy, you then stand up and get to work. You take out the small pouch that clung to your belt and unclasps it before sprinkling what appeared to look like water over the grave. You step back and wait patiently, growing more anxious and nervous by the second, hoping that it works and trying to think up of what you might say when you see your brother.
Suddenly, the air in front of you comes to life and forms a transparent figure about a few inches taller than you. The body slowly forms to what appears to be a solid figure and then it takes shape into familiar features that you couldn't help but tear up at the realization.
"Neal..."
He smiles back, "Hey, Y/N. And how is my little sister today?"
You bite your lip, "You already know."
"Yeah," his husky voice softens while he looks off elsewhere, his hands tucking into his pockets, "I do know."
You could detect the betrayal in his voice and the hurt in his eyes when he refused to meet your gaze. He continues,
"After you and I spent centuries dwelling about our father being so evil, you go and take his place? By killing him yourself?"
You had earlier tried to believe that he might take your side in this and that he would understand. But you know your brother too well. You know he's only doing what he believes is right for you.
"I couldn't help it..." You start, "All I ever wanted was to defeat the darkness in our father. I realized a long time ago that the only way to destroy the evil is to kill him and become evil myself...but up until now I've been too afraid to do so."
"Because I stopped you?"
"Maybe. You and I have always been opposites, Bae. You were full of hope and light and self-righteous. Me? I was nothing but hateful and troubled and full of darkness...even without a dagger."
"That's not how I saw you," Neal finally looked up at you, a small smile on his face, "I saw a determined young woman. Despite being so stubborn, she was so caring and she was self-righteous, too. She just had a lot of bad stuff happen to her that she couldn't help but slip into her own darkness..."
You nod, feeling the tears fall effortlessly now, "Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you."
"No. No no no, you didn't, sis. I am not disappointed or angry at you...I'm sad. I'm sad that despite the love and hope your friends and family had for you, you were still too damaged inside. You still had all that anger and pain hidden inside you somewhere, and it just came out when you became the Dark One."
You sob, "I don't blame myself...I blame you..." Neal silences himself, letting you explain yourself instead of defending himself, "Ever since you died...I felt so alone. I was angry at my friends for keeping me away from you. They were so scared that I might turn back into a villain that you and I never got to say goodbye. I blamed you for saving our father back in the Enchanted Forest if you didn't then you wouldn't be dead...and the darkness wouldn't be here, inside of me. It would've died along with Pan and Rumplestiltskin. I am suffering...because of you!"
"You're right, and I'm sorry," Neal says, knowing his faults all too well, "I gave our old man way too many chances to make things right, and he even swore on my own grave before betraying Belle. I should've just put my foot down and let him die a hero."
You uncontrollably wail, "Instead you were the one who died the hero. You're so heroic and it makes you stupid."
He kinda laughs at that, "When you have someone you love as I do, you would do anything for them."
You pause, the crying stops as your façade quickly changes. Your eyes stare off in space at the reality of your brother's words, and Neal smiles.
"Yeah, sis. I know about Hook. And I know, despite what you've told him, that you love him more than anything else. More than a dead man like me."
You frown at that and he shifts, "Okay. Sorry. That was uncalled for. But it's true. You, Emma and Henry, are all I have and I would've done anything for either one of you. You can't tell me you wouldn't do the same for Hook. Love is the rarest kind of magic of all."
You scoff, "Ugh. You're quoting Dad, now?"
He chuckles sarcastically, "God, I am quoting Dad." He laughs then leans closer to you, lowering his voice, "Since you're the Dark One, you'll crave the power more than anything. And if power is what you're looking for, the strongest thing to provide power is love. Find that power in Hook. He still believes in you, even if you've given up. I know I haven't given up on you."
You start to cry again, bringing your hands up to your face to try and desperately wipe the tears away, "I love you, Baelfire."
He smiles kindly and brings you into a hug, holding the back of your head like he was still protecting you, "I love you, too, sis."
He steps away and with the brightest smile in the world, he whispers a small, "Goodbye," then disappears back into the ground.
You break and fall to your knees, gripping the soft earth beneath you as you wept and mourned your loss for the first time ever since Neal died. A thick mist has blanketed the air in the cemetery as the afternoon turned into the evening. You must have been there for a couple hours, stiff from sitting in that same position for a while as you cried your heart out.
"Y/N!"
You barely flinched at the sound of your dashing rapscallion coming to your rescue, and not long after he called out your name, his arms wrap tightly around you as he knelt down to your height. Everyone else stood back as you sank into his embrace, crying uncontrollably all over again as you begged him to make the pain go away, to make it all stop.
"Get it out of me," you whimpered, "Get the darkness out of me. I don't want it. Save me from it, please."
"I will. I will, Y/N." Killian rests his chin on the top of your head, "We'll find a way to get the darkness out of you, I promise." He kisses the top of your head, "I love you..."