Author's Note: How's everyone faring with this hiatus? We are almost at the 50 day mark! With all the speculations and spoilers and bts pics floating around, this little drabble came about. Feel free to review and hit me up with YOUR speculations for the upcoming season.

I don't own OUAT. If I did, we'd all be watching it on HBO and episodes would be 2 hours long.

Hello darkness, my old friend.

She backed away from him, her arms wrapped around herself, as if trying to shield him from any darkness that may escape from her. Even as the bloody Dark One, his Emma was still trying to protect him. His jaw involuntarily clenched at the sight of the internal struggle pulling her apart, slowly and methodically. Her body was tense, in anticipation for what his next move would be- so his one, slow step forward was met with her haste retreat backwards.

He once told her while climbing a beanstalk that she was a bit of an open book to him. What he didn't tell her was that from the very first moment, he was gone- he could read and live in the pages of this book for an insurmountable amount of time.

Others may see danger, maybe snark, even maleficence. But all he could see was fear- fear that she would lose herself to the darkness before they could find a way to save her. And her stance was defensive-for good purpose, it scared others away from getting too close to her. Not him though- never him. His good hand was numb from having been clenched by his side, but he forced himself to relax it and extend it towards her.

She backed away, a soft hiss escaping her red ruby lips, so bold as if stained by blood, and he kept his gaze on her, begging her with his eyes, with every fiber of his being, to trust him.

He could feel the burning from behind his eyelids- the many sleepless nights, the wracking of the sobs overcoming his body all catching up to him. He could feel the hesitancy pouring out from her body- the darkness unwilling to surrender, the goodness fearful of the unknown, but above all, the love she had for him valiant in keeping him safe.

The dam broke-for a brief moment, his Emma- her goodness- her light fought through and she slowly placed her hand in his, her head slightly bowed down-this one simple movement draining the energy from her.

Just like that hope whispered in the sounds of silence.