"You're going to Hell?" Snow White asked, staring at her daughter with a hard look. She hoped she'd heard that incorrectly.
"Yes. Well – not exactly. The Underworld. Rumplestiltskin lied to Killian. He didn't have to die. He took back the Dark One's curse before I killed him. He didn't have to die!" Emma replied. "We can split my heart, like you and Dad did."
Snow sighed and looked at Charming, who returned the concerned look. Quite frankly, Snow had never liked Hook, and she sure as hell didn't like him now that he and Emma had started dating, and what had happened only two days ago with damning them all to the Underworld was only the straw that broke the camel's back in her opinion.
"Emma… I don't think this is a very safe idea," Charming said with a frown. "Believe me, Hades is not someone you want to screw around with."
"I don't care. Killian's death wasn't fair and I will do anything to reverse it."
"Not fair? Is that the only reason you want to save him? Because it wasn't fair? Emma, if everyone who felt death was unfair went to the Underworld to save their loved one, no one would ever die," Snow said.
"But Mom – "
"I'm not done talking. You know what else isn't fair? When my mother was poisoned and died on my birthday. When my father was murdered by venomous vipers from Agrabah. When your father's mother was shot by a poisoned arrow. When Regina lost Daniel. When Robin lost Marian. When Henry lost Neal. When Rumpelstiltskin lost Neal," Snow said. "If any of us had gone down to the Underworld after those things had happened… there's a very good chance one or more of us wouldn't be standing here ready to help you through Hook's death. We all understand what it's like to lose someone. We all know how unfair death is, Emma."
"You never had to kill the person you loved!" Emma shot back. "You and Dad split your heart and he came back to you!"
"Your mother might not have had to completely give up someone she loved. But I did," Regina said from across the counter. "When you two were off gallivanting in the Enchanted Forest after the curse broke, Dr. Whale thought it would be a good idea to try to bring Daniel back from the dead."
Snow stared at her, eyes wide with horror. Regina ignored the look and continued.
"Anyway… you know the story of Frankenstein's monster. Daniel turned into that. He wasn't the Daniel I knew before. He wasn't human and tried to hurt Henry. He begged me to let him go. And I did. Do you understand how difficult that was for me? I wanted Daniel back so badly. I wanted to forget all of the pain I caused after his death. And yet, I had to be the one to end his life a second time," Regina said, her eyes wet with tears. "So don't you dare tell me that I don't understand, because I do, and I agree with your mother. Going to the Underworld is a stupid idea."
"You weren't tricked into killing him. You didn't kill him under false pretenses!" Emma cried.
Snow sighed heavily among the groans of frustration from Regina, Robin Hood, Henry and Charming.
"Fine. You want false pretenses? Ruby ate her boyfriend because Granny never told her that she was the wolf that was terrorizing their village. And Ruby hated herself for months because of it. But she learned to grieve and move on, Emma. Just like all of us have. She didn't go running into the Underworld to save him, just as Regina didn't. And while some of us grieved in a more natural way than in others…" – she gave a pointed look to Regina – "the point is that we grieved. And now Regina has Robin, Henry and Roland, and Red has Mulan," Snow said. "Rumplestiltskin became the Dark One again and we don't know why, but I can tell you that just because he is the Dark One and Hook is dead does not mean you need to go to the Underworld."
Quite frankly, Snow would much rather have Rumplestiltskin alive instead of Hook, and until Rumplestiltskin – or anyone – did something evil, she was content to ignore that fact and just enjoy her family.
"Besides… what would Hook say, Emma? He asked you to let him go in Camelot," Charming added. "And you not following what he asked of you was the thing that led us to the Dark Ones marking all of us to be damned to the Underworld anyway."
"Dad… what are you saying?" Emma asked.
"I'm saying I don't like him. I didn't like him when he was working with Cora and I didn't like him when we left for Camelot. He's changed you, Emma. And not in a good way."
Snow watched her daughter's face, screwed up in pain, and her heart ached for Emma, but she needed to hear it.
"He's tried to shove Henry and I out of the picture on more than one occasion. He's taken credit for things he never did. He is no hero, Emma. Sacrificing yourself because you screwed up does not make you a hero. Trust me. I know that for sure. That's why your mother and I have spent our lives trying to make up for what we did to Lily. If Hook really cared about you – about us – then he never would have marked us for death. Not even Rumplestiltskin did such a thing as the Dark One… and he was the Dark One for centuries," Charming explained.
Charming had a point. Rumplestiltskin had done many bad things, but nothing like what Hook had done.
"Henry…" Emma whispered, desperate eyes turning to her son. "Please tell me you want me to go save Hook. He could be your stepfather."
"Stepfather? That's disgusting, Mom. I didn't like him before he started dating you and I didn't like him in Camelot," Henry replied with a sneer of distaste.
"But that flyer. You said you were working with Hook to find us a home…"
"I said that because I knew you wouldn't listen to me or believe in yourself if I said otherwise, and I wanted you to fight against the darkness. I did it for Tallahassee."
"Tallahassee?"
"Dad told me about it when he told me about Only You. The only reason I showed you that house was because it had a view of the beach. Like Tallahassee. Besides, all Hook tried to do was teach me to cheat at cards and gave me terrible advice about Violet. He also tried to take credit for teaching me to sail when we were in Isaac's world, when that was Dad. I'd rather have listened to Gramps, Grandpa Gold or Robin when it comes to girls. Their advice is about respecting women. Hook's is only about getting what you want."
"Henry…"
"He ignores me, Mom. He doesn't care about any of my concerns. When we were under Ingrid's curse he laughed me off. And by the way, he punched out Will Scarlet before he hunted me down. I found Will laying outside the mayor's office when I left. All Hook cares about is you. Dating someone who already has a child means respecting the person and their child. That's what I've learned from watching Mom and Robin," Henry said. Snow's heart broke for him – she could see the scared, hurt child from before the curse broke beginning to come back.
The fact that Hook had caused it had Snow disliking him more and more.
"Fine. When I bring him back I'll demand he respect you all, and apologize to you for whatever he's done. If you aren't going to help me bring back my true love then – "
"True love? His kiss took away your magic!" Henry shot back. "Mom, please. Open your eyes."
Snow could see her daughter trembling, and she took a step forward, flinching as Emma stepped back.
"I thought family helped each other. I never thought Rumplestiltskin would be more willing to help me than my own family," Emma said. There was hatred clear in her eyes, and it burned into Snow. Yes she loved her daughter, but that was exactly why she was saying what she was and refusing to go to the Underworld, of all places. Emma had known much loss, but she had never truly confronted it. Walsh and Neal had happened so suddenly and so close together.
And then Emma had jumped at Hook. Snow found that quite interesting.
"Is he really helping you, or did you make a deal with him?" Robin Hood suddenly asked as Emma began storming to the door. "He hated Hook more than anyone in this room. Why would he agree to go to the Underworld to save him?"
"He brings up a good point, Emma," Snow said with a frown.
"He just did," Emma shot back. "Okay? He just did. Something you guys are refusing to do."
A knock on the door startled all of them.
Snow ignored the glare on Emma's face as she called for whoever it was to enter.
Belle flew through the door before she'd finished the word 'in', her blue eyes wide and fearful.
"Rumple told me everything! I just came to make sure everyone was okay," the librarian said, pulling Snow into a tight hug, then going around the room.
"Everything? Including about himself?" Emma asked, voice stiff.
"That he is the Dark One again because he wanted to try to find me in the world outside Storybrooke? Yes," Belle replied. "And that you tried to convince him to go to the Underworld to bring Hook back. Emma… what were you thinking?"
"We've been trying to figure that out since before you arrived," Regina said dryly, staring at Emma. "Looks like you're out of moves, Savior."
Emma scoffed and fled from the apartment, the door slamming shut behind her. Snow took a step, wanting to follow and comfort her daughter, but Charming put a hand on her shoulder, holding her back.
"All we can do is hope she comes to the right decision," he said softly, pulling her into a hug.
Snow could only sigh and rest her head on his chest, knowing he was right.
Their Emma had to be in there somewhere.
It was a few days (and many frantic conversations with birds) later when they got the answer. It had come late, a knock on the door just as she had set Neal down for bed after a diaper change.
Emma stood on the other side, looking disheveled, her eyes red with barely-contained tears.
"Mom… you were right. I need help."
Snow's arms flew around her daughter, pulling her into the apartment and rubbing her back. "Oh sweetheart, what's wrong? What happened?"
Emma sniffled. "Nothing happened. I just… I realized you all were right. Hook changed me. In a bad way. I want to break from that. I don't want to be so obsessed with him anymore. Help me. Please."
"Oh baby…" Snow whispered. "It's okay. We'll go talk to Archie in the morning…" Snow kissed her head. "Now… the upstairs bed is all made up for you, and the bathroom is open. I want you to take a nice hot bath and get some sleep."
Emma nodded weakly against her, pulling away and going into the bathroom, the door closing gently behind her.
Looking up at Charming as he came into the room, Snow sighed a little with relief.
"She's back."