Board Thread:Character Discussion/@comment-16953943-20140727024837/@comment-24386552-20140730142620

Emma didn't tell Neal she loved him until 2.21 when he was on the verge of falling through the portal. She didn't necessarily say it to Hook in 3.20 when he was dying-ish. So she still is working through her emotions. She also is skeptical of this due to her past love interests. Graham died in her arms, August wasn't a love interest but was a possible love interest and he died, Neal left her pregnant and in jail and came back engaged and died a year after that in her arms, so she is probably worried the past is doomed to repeat itself again with Hook, and she is trying to lessen the hurt if it happens, by not fully committing herself to him 100% or even over 100% or else she could be really broken.