"Mother?"

"Hello, Regina," Cora smirked at Regina as her words slid off her tongue like silk.

Regina's mouth hung open as she regarded her mother up and down, looking exactly the way she had the day she died. "Mother, what are you doing here?"

Cora scoffed. "I'm dead, remember?" Cora looked over at Snow White who was trying hard not to be noticed. Cora caught her eye and saw the fear in them. "And now I find you in the company of the woman who killed me." When Cora's eyes met Regina's again, they were cold.

Regina gulped. She knew that look in her mother's eyes well. Disappointment. Hatred. Resentment. Regina's heart raced, and her blood felt like ice as it pumped through her body. "What are you doing here? Don't tell me you're working with him!" Regina nodded her head toward Hades, who stood nearby silently.

"I'm here to give you an opportunity to finally do the right thing. To finally be the daughter I always wanted you to be," Cora's words slithered like a snake. She knew one of the things Regina wanted the most was the love and approval of her mother. Even now she could see the desperation in her daughter's eyes.

"What?" Regina gasped. "You can't be serious!"

"Don't be fresh with me Regina, you know how I don't like you talking to me like that." Cora snapped and was pleased when she saw Regina recoil slightly, as much as she could being tied up. "It's true, that no matter the opportunities I have given you, you have failed and failed again. I mean, not only did you let your mortal enemy kill me, now here you are putting your own life at risk to help her daughter! I can't tell you, Regina, how this hurts me!"

Emma saw Regina regressing. Cora always had that affect on her. The woman spent years and years keeping Regina a submissive, affection starved woman, and had clearly played a significant part in creating the Evil Queen. She was damned if she would let her make Regina plunge back into that life. "Don't even go there you manipulative bitch!" She can't deny the panic that struck her when Cora's neck snapped to her attention. She swallowed down the knot in her throat. "You never appreciated the woman Regina was. Who she has become. You were the failure, not her."

Cora looked back at Regina and put on her best pout. "Is that how you feel, Regina? Was I a terrible mother? All I ever wanted was what's best for you. I just want you to be happy, Regina!"

Regina was weakened. Her mother had always been her point of weakness. She tried to remain stoic, but a single tear betrayed her and fell down her cheek. Her mother always knew what buttons to push. She knew she was being played but then-what if she wasn't? Could Regina push her mother away, now, when they had a second chance to reconcile? Regina gently shook her head no. "No. You weren't a terrible mother. I-I just never could live up to your expectations."

Cora stepped up and ran a cold hand down the side of Regina's face. "No, you couldn't, dear daughter. But that hasn't stopped me from loving you. We have a chance to set things right, now. I can come back and we can finally have the relationship that you always wanted!"

Regina furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "What?!"

Cora nodded. "That's right! All you have to do is tell us how to open the portal. Tell us how you got here, and Hades has agreed to let me go! I can come back with you!"

Regina was flooded with emotions. Was this true? Could she truly be given a second chance for her mother to love her for who she really was?

"Goddam it, Cora!" Emma yelled. "Don't listen to her, Regina! It's a trick! I know you wanted desperately to have a second chance with your mother, but this isn't the way!" Emma watched as the thoughts ran through Regina's head. "Regina, she hasn't changed. She will never change. She will never see you for the person you are. She will always want something that you're not. She doesn't appreciate the woman you are, not the way I do." Emma's mouth went dry when Regina raised her eyes up to meet hers. "Not the way we all do. We're your family now, Regina, you don't need to try and please her anymore."

Cora scoffed. "You? Her family? Please." Cora refocused her attention on Regina who was still trying to decide what to do. "I will always be your family, Regina, I'm the only one who loves you. They don't love you, they could never love you after all the things you've done to them." She watched as anguish washed over Regina's face. She was getting to her. "Tell us how to open the portal, and I can come back, be the mother you've always wanted. I'm the only family you need. Please, Regina."

Regina had allowed the tears to fall freely now, and looked up in Cora's face. She seemed genuine. She looked so hopeful. Regina licked her lips and looked over at her companions. Could she betray them now?

"Regina," the voice was soft. Imploring. Regina looked over at Emma who was staring at her intently. "It's all lies. Look around you Regina. We are all your family. We have accepted you despite everything. Despite all your faults and shortcomings. Because we have them too. We've seen you walk that fine line to redemption. We've seen how far you've come, the woman you have become. And we DO love you. For who you are, not for who we want you to be."

Regina listened to the words coming out of the savior's mouth and was in awe. She looked over to see Robin, silently looking on. Did he not have anything to say? Even as their eyes met, she saw nothing in them but fear and confusion. He was so worried about himself, he couldn't pull it together to help Regina at all. He squeezed his eyes shut and let his head fall back against the wood. But not Emma. Emma was fighting with her, for her. For them all. Could it be, that these former enemies of hers had truly become her family, her future? Could she believe Emma over her mother? As Regina looked back at Emma, she saw all she needed to know. Those bright green eyes shining at her, reassuring smile lifting her cheeks, they were genuine. With a deep breath, Regina looked at her mother and gritted her teeth. "No. I won't do it."

Cora's eyes blazed with hatred. A guttural growl worked it's way out of her throat and climaxed with a sharp slap to Regina's face. "Damn, you Regina! I'm giving you a chance to finally live up to your potential! You're going to throw it away for these imbeciles?"

Regina spat out the bit of blood that had pooled in the corner of her mouth and grinned as she turned her head to meet Cora's eyes once again. "I prefer the term 'idiots', but yes. They are more my family now than you ever were. Ironic, isn't it?"

Cora's rage was at full boil now. Regina closed her eyes in preparation for another slap when Cora's arm was caught by Hades. Cora's rage immediately turned to fear. "No. No, give me another minute, I-I can convince her I'm sure!" Hades simply shook his head in disappointment and started to pull Cora away. She struggled but was no match for his grip. "No, please. Regina, Regina, darling please! Please don't let him take me!"

Regina could do nothing but cry, knowing she could do nothing to stop her mother's pain. This was a fate Cora had created for herself, and Regina was in no position to save her from it. She sobbed as Cora's cries for her continued in desperation. Regina closed her eyes and turned her head away as Cora's wails turned into screams. She didn't see Hades wave his hand. She didn't see Cora's body erupt into blue flames. She didn't see the woman flailing as flesh melted and bones vanished. She didn't see Cora dissolve into thin air, to emerge in an eternity beyond her worst nightmares. But she heard it. And it was a sound Regina was sure she would never forget.

Hades shook his head as the group in front of him breathed heavily. The horror they had just witnessed amplified their fear. Seeing the power that the King of the Underworld held snapped them back to reality. "Well," He said, leering at a visibly shaken Regina. "That didn't go as well as I had planned." Hades walked around in thought, looking intently at each of his prisoners, trying to figure out exactly what leverage he should use to get the information he wanted. He could easily use Lauren against Bo, but then, he didn't know if even Bo knew the information he wanted. He didn't want to expend his only leverage against his daughter for no reason. As he looked at the group again, he cocked his head in thought. "How exactly did you plan on getting the good captain out of here?" He stopped in front of Emma who was shooting him daggers from her eyes. "I mean, surely you had a plan, right? How were you planning on doing it? No dead can just walk out of here unless I allow it. What was your plan?" When Emma just looked at him, Hades thrust his arm out towards Killian, fingers crooked into themselves.

Emma's neck snapped over as Killian cried out in pain, his body arching up in agony. She cried out his name as the pain washed over his face and out his throat in a gutteral moan. Tears streaked down her face.

Henry tried not to watch as Hook writhed in pain, and decided to take this short opportunity as Hades was distracted. He slowly walked over and stood next to Bo. Not taking his eyes off Hades, he slowly reached over and grabbed her hand, placing the hilt of Rumpel's dagger in her palm.

Bo was startled at first, thinking Henry was seeking her comfort. But when she felt the cold steel being pressed into her hand, she flicked her eyes to him but remained stoic. "What are you doing, kid?" she whispered.

Emma yelled at Hades to stop, but it only made him squeeze Killian's heart tighter. "Stop! True love! Okay?! We were going to save him by splitting my heart. Give him half to allow him to live!"

Finally Hades released his grip, and Killian's body relaxed, leaving him once again breathless. Bo and Henry froze, hands still entwined. Hades looked at Emma in confusion. "True Love?" He looked over at Killian and scoffed. "You-think you're his True Love?" Hades burst out into maniacal laughter, stumbling a bit as he walked over to Killian.

As Hades laughed a little too hard at Emma's confession, Henry took the opportunity to wrap Bo's fingers around the dagger. He spoke softly out of the corner of his mouth. "It's from Excalibur. It'll work on the chains." Finally understanding why Henry was giving her the knife, Bo nodded and pulled it from Henry's sleeve, quickly stuffing it up her own before she could draw Hades' attention.

Hades finally stopped laughing with a loud sigh and placed his hand on Killian's shoulder. "Now that's rich." He looked around at the group, all of which looked angry or scared or both. "I admit, there is quite a bit of True Love going on in this group, but sadly, Killian here is not yours." He looked down at Killian and smiled. "Are you, Captain?" He was enjoying the fact that he was able to torture people without even touching them. Killian just glared at him, causing Hades to smile even bigger. He looked up at Emma, despair across her face. "Don't get me wrong, I'm sure you have feelings for each other, it may even be love on some level. But True Love? What do you think I've been torturing him with? You see, I already have his True Love. You don't even have to touch someone in order to inflict the most terrible pain imaginable, you only have to hurt the one they love the most." Hades sucked in a breath as an idea struck him. He straightened up and scratched his head. "Come to think of it, that's a brilliant idea."

As Hades moved about the room, Emma met Killian's eyes, who looked at her with regret. "I'm sorry," he whispered. Emma nodded slowly as tears streaked down her cheeks.

As Hades moved away from Bo, she moved as well, stopping next to Charming. David looked up at her in confusion, and Bo put her finger to her lips. She slowly slid the dagger out of her sleeve and as quietly as she could, went to work at the lock.

Hades walked past Regina and Emma before finally stopping in front of Robin. He rubbed his chin in thought. "Nothing is more motivating than the need to save your One True Love. Wouldn't you agree?"

Robin began breathing heavier and pulled at his chains. "What do you want devil? We already know you can't do anything to any of us. Just let us go!"

Hades chuckled as he rubbed his palms together. "What I want, my dear Mr. Locksley, is for you to tell me how you opened a portal to the Underworld." After a beat of silence, Hades continued. "I'm only going to ask you one more time. How?" Robin swallowed and looked over at his companions. They each shook their heads and Robin remained silent. Hades sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "Very well."

With a wave of his hand, blue lightening flashed again right in front of Robin. The smoke dissipated to reveal a figure, hands bound and tied to a metal post. Robin's blood ran cold. "Marian?"

Marian looked around in confusion and fear, realizing she was bound. "Robin?! What-what are you doing here? Whats going on?" Regina gritted her teeth and swallowed hard. Of course she didn't want to see Marian tortured before her and Robin. But Hades had just confirmed what Regina had already been fearing. Robin wasn't her True Love. Just as Hook wasn't Emma's. Hook was forever bound to Milah just as Robin would never stop loving Marian.

"Now," Hades crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm going to ask you one last time. How did you open the portal?" Robin looked frantically back and forth between Marian and Hades. Met with silence yet again, Hades snapped his fingers and behind him a large cloud of blue smoke appeared, and with a flash of lightening began to recede.

Regina felt the rumbling in her chest. It was a deep growl emanating from an animal that could only be born from the fires of hell. There, chained to the floor was a hulking, scaly three headed beast. The heads were dog like, snarling and salivating from canines as long as Regina's fingers. Regina felt her heart leap to her throat as all three heads cocked backwards and howled. It was an ear piercing, soul shattering howl that cut fear through the group like a hot blade. As the howling ceased, the beast lowered its heads and caught sight of Marian. With a crouch, the beast leaped forward, digging it's claws into the floor for leverage. With a scream from Marian and an accompanying screech from Robin, the beast flew at Marian, only to be yanked to a halt by the chain attached to it's collar. The beast fell to the ground with a thunderous thump, mere feet away from where Marian stood.

"Nooo! No, you bastard! You let her go this instance or so help me-" Robin was in complete panic mode. His heart was about to beat out of his chest as he fought violently with the chains holding him hostage.

Hades smiled and walked over to Robin. "Last chance, woodsman. You tell me what I want to know before I let old Cerberus here go to town on your lady. And remember, she's already dead. So he could just chew on her, rip her limb from limb over...and over...and over again. Endless pain and anguish for her, for eternity."

Robin shook uncontrollably, looking past Hades to see Marian pulling desperately at her chains. The beast had gotten back to his feet and snarling and swiping at Marian who was just out of his reach. When the beast thrust against his restraints again, causing a blood curdling scream from his love, Robin relented. "Okay! Okay, I'll tell you, just please! Don't hurt her!"

The scene playing out in front of her only made Bo work harder at David's lock. She could try and take Hades on alone, but she knew she had a much better chance at success with some help. She also knew she wasn't strong enough to cut through the chains where as David just might be.

"Robin, no!" Snow cried out.

"You can't!" Lauren chimed in. "I know how terrible this is, but if Hades goes through that portal it will be the end of the world!"

Robin stared into Hades' eyes. "I want something in return."

Hades shrugged his shoulders. "Yes, no chew toy for your Marian here. That's what the deal is."

"Something else," Robin whispered. He looked over at Marian. "Her soul for mine."

"What?!" Regina cried out.

"Robin, no!" Marian insisted.

Robin swallowed and looked at Regina. "I'm sorry. I have to. Roland needs his mother."

"And your baby needs you!" Regina cried.

"It won't matter. If you tell him there won't be a world for her to go back to!" Lauren tried to talk some sense into him.

"At least she'll have a chance! Here she has none!" Robin shook his head. "I'm sorry, Regina. I have to do this. If I have a chance to save her, I've got to do it." Robin looked back at Hades, eyes now welled up with unshed tears. "Do we have a deal? I tell you how we opened the portal and you take my soul in exchange for Marian's?"

Hades thought for a moment. Why not? "Deal." Hades closed his eyes and raised his arms. A bright white ball of energy floated down through the ceiling of the cave. It dropped and dropped until it disappeared into Marian's chest. With a gasp, her body glowed a bright white as her soul returned and her body rejuvenated. Robin barely had time to smile as a blue glowing hand sunk into his chest and ripped out his payment. Hades admired the glow of Robin's soul before sending it flying to wherever it was he kept damned souls. Robin struggled to adjust to his new state of un-living when Hades caught his gaze. "Now. How did you open the portal?"

Robin dropped his head in defeat, but looked up to see a terrified Marian inches away from being eaten alive. He breathed heavily as sweat dripped down his face. His eyes met Hades.

"We have the blade of Excalibur."