Part 10
"Gimme," demands Thé before lifting Melinoe out of his arms. "I'm gonna eat you," she tells the toddler in a sing-songy voice before lifting her up pretending to gobble on her tummy.
"That's never happened before," comments Hades as a spark shoots out of the nearby stream of lava with each giggle Meli emits.
"Num num num. Mmm, Melinoe tastes real good," Thé continues to play with the child, ignoring how flames rise up atop the lava and begin to form shapes of fantastical creatures when Melinoe dissolves into uncontrollable laughter.
"You're really good with her," states Killian with a soft smile.
Thé looks up at the pirate and gives him a small, somewhat agonised, smile in return. Seph breaks up the painful moment by entering the room, her long curly blonde hair still wet from her recent bath. Immediately Melinoe tugs around and demands in childish babbles for her mother to take her. Thé gasps with mock hurt at the blonde cherub in her arms choosing her Mama over her Aunt.
"Still love you Aunt Fena," Meli tells Thé in a serious voice once in her mother's arms again.
"Of course you do. I am awesome. And your daughter Seph? Going to be a rather amazing naturist when she's older."
"Her laughs made the fire transfigure," explains Hades before narrowing his eyes at Thé. "You were testing her."
"Better to know what the Fates have in store for her now. And living here in the Underworld means she's never been around any of the rest of the Olympians to make it show."
"We were planning a trip to see my Mum whilst she's in the realm without magic," interjects Seph. "She's old enough now to survive the travelling back and forth. Enough about us, you must be Emma Swan. It's a pleasure to finally meet you properly," she smiles and easily maneuvers her arms so she can hold Meli with one arm and shake Emma's hand with the other. "I of course met your parents, and Regina and Robin, briefly before you all set off on this trip. But it's good to show some manners to guests in our home."
"Something I much prefer when we don't have," grouses Hades.
"He only pretends to be such a grump," Seph tells them in a stage whisper. "I should get this little missy fed. Excuse me."
"Not what you expected for Queen of the Underworld?" grins Thé as she watches Belle and Emma stare after Seph.
"She seems...sweet."
"The sweetest of all the Olympians, Belle."
"Don't go all lovey dovey on me Uncle," sniggers Thé earning her a dark look from Hades. "Go be with your precious people. I know how much you love mealtimes," she shoos him. "We can wait."
"Are you sure we should? Shouldn't we be trying to get home already?" asks Emma quietly, her blue-green gaze darting every now and again to Killian's form.
"We have time," assures Thé. "And Henry with be absolutely fine, especially with Demeter in Storybrooke."
"Speaking of where is the lad? I'd have thought he'd jump at the opportunity to come on another adventure," asks Killian, looking around for Henry.
"Back home. Though if he were here I'm sure it'd have some code name, like Operation Resurrection or something."
"Oh no, it'd have to be something much more secretive. Can't have a code name if everyone can tell what the mission is from said name," grins Killian. "Young Henry would more than likely call it Operation Herring. It'll be good to see the lad again," he adds more sombrely.
Emma's breath hitches at the remembrance of how close Killian and her son had become; that she was not the only one that had lost something when Killian sacrificed himself.
"I've missed him too, but we thought it'd be too dangerous for him to tag along this time," explains Emma.
"Which was a good call considering the she-serpent we ended up getting attacked by," adds Regina.
"Not my fault!" calls out Thé childishly.
Killian's lips twist in a slight smirk and he raises an eyebrow at Thé's behaviour. "Really?" he asks disbelievingly.
"Our...guide was an idiot and took us via Echidna's waters. She sensed me and came after us. She has really taken what I said much too seriously. I mean, how was I supposed to know she'd take offense at me calling her latest creation a walrus?" justifies Thé.
"It's always fun with you around Thé," comments Killian, his eyes softening as he stares at the goddess reminiscing over their shared past.
Emma shuffles awkwardly and uncomfortably at Killian's side.
"Now that we have what we came here for, we'll just be going once we get Killian back in his body," announces David, breaking the awkward silence permeating the room.
Hades' eyes flash angrily and bright flames spark all around his body, easily melting the bowl of food he'd been helping Seph feed to Meli.
"Easy big guy," soothes Thé before moving to the counter, her deep purple-red chiton brushing along the cave floor and the gold embroidery glinting in the pale light coming from the ceiling of the Underworld.
Thé twirls one of her hands and a very old looking piece of papyrus appears in the other. She tightens her hold on it momentarily before tossing it to Hades. The lord of the Underworld's flames extinguish as he catches the rolled up parchment. Hades frowns in confusion as he uses a knife to break open the wax seal. His eyes flicker across the binding words on the papyrus. The brown-haired god's only reaction is the slightest twitch of his mouth before he looks up at his niece emotionlessly.
"All looks to be in order. Very well, the handsome Captain is free to return to his body."
The parchment disappears in a cloud of black smoke and Hades strides around the counter and back into the living area. He dry washes his hands before nodding significantly to Thé and kneeling on the ground beside Killian's lax body lying seemingly forgotten on the magical stretcher. A few murmured words and the enchantment around the gurney is broken.
"Killian, you need to be at his right side. Emma, can you hold Excalibur out above his body's sternum with the tip pointing upwards? Rumplestiltskin, if you could stand at Hades' left side. Then four of you will need to stand at North, South, East and West around them. When Hades' hands make contact with Killian and his murderer, you need to touch his body."
"I've never heard of such a spell," comments Regina suspiciously.
"It's not a spell. This is the Ritual of the Unjust Dead. Can only be carried out in the bowels of the Underworld, and by me. It's similar to a spell in that you need certain...ingredients: the soul, the body, the weapon used to kill the person, the murderer, and the touch of four other people present during his murder each standing at points of a compass," explains Seph quietly, her eyes not leaving her husband's figure as he quietly chants in a foreign tongue that only Seph, Thé, Melinoe and Killian can hear.
"Hence why I made it so you two could come," Thé tells Regina and Robin. "If everyone could get into position," the goddess with the brightly coloured hair prods them steely. "Ah, no. It can only be one of you Charmings," she adds when Snow and David move forward to take a spot around Killian's body. "And no weapons, please."
"Why?" frowns Emma as she pulls Excalibur from the leather scabbard at her waist.
"They share a heart," gasps Seph in shock, her eyes slowly turning back to piercing blue from a glittering, burning orange.
"I'll do it," says David before kissing Mary Margaret on the forehead.
The blonde prince withdraws his own sword from it's scabbard and hands it carefully over to his wife for safekeeping. His work boots crunch as he walks across the rough hewn ground to stand where Thé directs him as being North.
"Why I suggested you tag along too," Thé quietly tells Belle as she, Robin and Regina all take their own places.
As soon as the ethereal chanting Hades as still been humming stops his hands burst into smokey ice blue flames. He reaches out and grabs hold of Killian and Rumplestiltskin, both looking incredibly wary of being touched by the flames but relax when they feel a simple warmth passing through their entire body. David, Belle, Robin and Regina each bend forward and touch Killian's body. The fire surrounding Hades' hands suddenly implodes. It envelops all of Killian (both soul and body), all of Gold, and it begins to creep up the hands and arms of the other four. The glow of the flames becomes too much and all but Thé, Hades, Melinoe and Seph have to shut their eyes as the heat touches the blade that ended Killian Jones' life.
And then the light dissipates as if it had never been. It takes a moment for the black dots to fade from everyone's eyesight. But they all are quickly brought back to awareness by Emma's gasp and then the sound of a sword clattering to the floor. Emma takes no notice of everyone else and launches herself at the now-moving body of Killian slowly sitting up on the stretcher they all encircle. The pirate quickly wraps his arms around her, careful not to poke her with his hook even if her signature red leather jacket would protect her some from it. He breathes in the feel of her body against his; something he thought he'd never know ever again. His mussed black hair brushes against her cheek as he bends in close. Emma tightens her grip on him, silently promising to never let him go again.
"I love you," she murmurs quietly.
He pulls back a little and wipes away the tears she's begun to shed as he whispers consolingly, "It's alright, love. I'm okay. I love you too."
"It's good to have you back, Killian," Mary Margaret smiles brightly, her own eyes shining suspiciously as she hugs her husband.
"You were missed, my friend," smiles Robin as Killian clasps hands with the outlaw.
"Let's get you up," smiles Emma cheerfully as she pulls a stiff Killian out of the gurney and on to his slightly unsteady feet. "How do you feel?"
"Like I could use a drink," he jokes with a grin. "Ouch! What did I do to deserve such maltreatment?" grouses Killian after Thé comes up beside him and whacks him across the back of the head.
"You went and volunteered to be murdered, asshole! Don't do it again," the goddess retorts with a fiery glare.
"As you wish, milady," he replies with a courtly bow.
"You should avoid using that particular phrase with any lovely lass bar your own," states Thé, her eyes darting over to Emma.
"For what reason?"
"You haven't introduced him to The Princess Bride?" gasps Thé; her full attention lasered on Emma.
"We've been a little busy," Emma tries to explain adding hastily, when Thé folds her arms and stares the Saviour down, "and will be rectified as soon as possible."
"Great(!) He'll either be quoting Wesley or Montoyo constantly," grimaces Regina.
The light-hearted moment however is interrupted as a pink elephant blowing on a trumpet and carrying a thick dossier appears out of nowhere. Seph bites back a chuckle as Meli gets excited by the messenger and all the others look on with a mixture of shock, fright and confusion.
"Everybody else is seeing the pink pachyderm, right?" queries Mary Margaret, her eyes not leaving the unusual messenger who suddenly disappears with the sound of a popped bubble.
"A new soul has appeared in the Underworld. That's Elmer; one of Hades' messengers to inform him of the comings and goings of Tartarus," explains Seph.
"Right, because a pink elephant that appears and disappears is just what the Underworld needs," replies Regina sarcastically.
"Charon used to do it but he scared Meli. So Hades created the pink elephants."
"As you do," adds Emma, shaking her head at what her life has actually become.
Hades mutterings as he reads through the dossier grows loud enough to disturb any further conversation on the subject of pink elephants.
"It's fuck, marry, or kill, brother. Not and," Hades glares up at the ceiling as if he could see through it right up to Mount Olympus and grumbles, "Idiot! When will Zeus learn."
"You're such a tit if you think he can," laughs Thé.
"Hades!" cries out a strong masculine voice before a tall muscular golden-skinned man rushes through the door.
"Herc!" greets Melinoe happily, bouncing in her mother's arms with a gigantic grin.
"Killian, you're solid…" gasps the newcomer as his amber eyes stare at the pirate.
"Aye lad, that I am. You alright, mate?"
"Yes, why did you come storming into my house without an invitation? And shouldn't you be feeding Cerberus around this time?" scowls Hades.
"I just came from feeding him. I was walking back and there was a ship at the docks. I stopped to chat with Charon and it was then that I saw her," sighs the man dreamily.
"'Her', Hercules?" smiles Seph.
"The most beautiful creature I've ever beheld. A brunette damsel who's not afraid to chip her nails and get a little dirty."
"And sweaty mayhaps," jokes Killian.
"I would thank you not to be so crude regarding the lady, Captain Jones," replies Hercules steely.
Hades, Seph and Killian all react to the change in tone. Hercules has always been quite an easy-going fella. Sure he got angry and annoyed at times, but never to such an extent over a simple joke of Killian's. If he had the poker night they'd had the previous night would have gone to pot considering the amount of rum and whiskey all three men were consuming, and the comments and stories being passed back and forth.
"Hades, Lord of the Underworld," Hercules takes a knee and bends his head as he reverently pleads with the god. "I come before you to ask for my release from your service. I failed my test and as punishment you kept me within this place. I accepted that punishment, and I have found a sort of home here within the Underworld. But I feel like I must be near her, be with her. And I cannot be at her side if I am imprisoned within these walls. I will beg if that is what you require, but please...just release me from my bonds."
"Cerberus still has scars from what you did. Yes, you've certainly worked off my ire these last centuries. But that doesn't make your act of violence against my dog forgivable, nor does it make you deserving of leniency."
"Hades," interrupts Seph softly, her eyes glowing like the sun, "look at him."
"I am!" grunts Hades annoyed.
"With the power of the gods," she prods.
Hades sighs and does as his wife suggests. His entire body freezes when his eyes swirl and he sees the pale gold string attached to the centre of his chest and leading out behind him and in the direction of the docks. The Fates had spoken. In a moment of happenstance Hercules had found his love, the woman he was fated to be with before he was even conceived. And whilst neither loved each other yet, there is definitely mutual desire.
"Pale gold love line. Sign of a great love starting to blossom," smiles Seph broadly.
"Very well. You are free to leave," commands Hades in a pompous voice and with a wave of his hands the tattoos binding him to the Underworld begin to fade and completely disappear.
"You're such an old romantic," grins Thé in an aside to her uncle who glowers back at her.
"If he's allowed to leave then my son deserves a second chance also."
"It doesn't work that way, Rumplestiltskin," Persephone tells the older man calmly with a steely tone that seems to demand his compliance, but he does not listen to her non-verbal cues.
"Why not? The pirate is getting a second chance. Or more like a third," he sneers. "And he just gets to up and leave because he found love?" Gold spits furiously.
"Rumple I know you're angry, but getting upset won't solve anything. Surely there's something that can be done for Neal," tries Belle.
"Yes, if we can do something for him we have to try. Without him who knows what would have happened or what Zelena would have done," adds Mary Margaret compassionately.
"Oh yes. Blame it all on me," sniffs Zelena, her green eyes flashing dangerously at Snow. "He was the one that sacrificed himself willingly for his father, the idiot."
"Do not speak of my son in that way!" shouts Rumplestiltskin, his hand trembling slightly atop his cane.
"I'll speak of him however I wish. You're powerless now. You can do nothing."
"As are you. And I can assure you that if it's a life for a life that's needed, I'd have no issue taking yours to save my son."
"Rumple, you can't think that way!" Belle tells him off.
"He's my son, Belle. I don't want to think of him stuck in this place for eternity. You must do something for Bae!" Gold bellows Hades, making Melinoe begin to loudly cry.
"I must do nothing!" roars Hades, his voice reverberating and making the actual floor feel unstable. "Enough of all this petty squabbling. You've upset my child and pissed me off for the last time. OUT! ALL OF YOU!"
With that final scream the group find themselves wrapped up in a black smokey whirlwind that drops them mid-air, causing them to fall on to the main deck of The Flying Dutchman. All eleven fall in a heap on the well swabbed wooden floor. Groans and complaints rise up as they clamber back on to their feet.
"Thank you for that," glares Regina.
"You're blaming me for this, dearie?"
"Well you were the one antagonising him, Gold," adds Emma before turning to Killian as he straightens out beside her. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine, love. Promise. It'll take a bit more than some transportation spell to do me harm," he grins before the happiness dies from his gaze and his eyes dart around the familiar ship in horror until they land on Thé standing out of the way from everyone else. "You had him bring you here? What in seven hells is wrong with you Athena?! I thought you were my friend," he snarls. "How could you turn to that bastard for any kind of aid when it came to me? And don't you dare say you went to him because he is my father. He lost the right to call me that long ago."
"Your father?" gasps Mary Margaret in shock whilst understanding lights up Emma's eyes.
At that moment Davy Jones climbs up from below decks. His trousers are clean and well pressed. The stiff dark green jacket he sports is just as spotless; the silver stamped buttons gleaming even in the low pale light of the Underworld. Knee-high black leather boots are unscuffed and have obviously gone through a vigorous cleaning and polishing. His hair - the same shade as his youngest's and with the same curls his eldest had - has been carefully combed and no longer left to flop atop his head in disarray. His beard has even been trimmed and his hands scrubbed until there is barely a speck of dirt upon them. The Captain of The Dutchman momentarily fiddles with a couple of his buttons and yanks on the bottom of his jacket, uncomfortable at the fit and stiffness of the material he hasn't worn in a very long time. His shoulders stiffen and his back straightens as he purposefully strides towards the black clad pirate that is his youngest child.
"Good to have you back in the land of the living, son."
Killian's eyes narrow and his nose flares at the audacity of the man stood before him with his hand outstretched in front of him in greeting. In the blink of an eye he grasps his father with his hand and his hook, whirls them both about, and slams the swarthy-skinned Captain into the main mast of his own ship. Killian sneers at the man that he once knew as 'Father' and lifts his hook to dig into the dip of his throat.
"I am not your son," he shouts, his voice reverberating throughout the cave-like place that houses the Underworld and Tartarus.
He presses his hook ever deeper and a pearl of blood begins to appear beneath the metal appendage. A small darkly satisfied smirk plays upon the pirate's lips. The sight wrenches a terrified gasp from Emma as it reminds her of how he was when she made him a Dark One. The sound however does not permeate through the haze of red anger pulsing through Killian's entire body. The others aboard the ship - namely several crew members, Snow, David, Belle and Robin - rush forward to try to pull Killian away from the Captain of The Flying Dutchman, but an invisible barrier keeps them back.
"Why?" frowns Regina, immediately recognising the source of the magic and turning to narrow her eyes at Thé who seems to be the only one watching the scene before them much too calmly.
"They both need to have this confrontation out in the open. I'd really rather not have to be stuck on a ship for several weeks with that kind of tension boiling between the Jones men. They don't tend to be ones for rational thought when their blood gets worked up," explains Thé just as the sudden clash of steel against steel rends through the air.
A/N: A thousand and one apologies for how long this took to write and get up. Sadly haven't been having too many good days physically or mentally. And I kept getting distracted by other things. I hope though that you enjoyed it. Thanks for anyone that's still sticking with me. Hopefully the wait for the next chapter won't be just as long. The inclusion of the pink elephant scene is because one of my friends was talking about Dumbo and got the scene/song stuck in my head.
In a very excited mood at the moment (and have been since almost deafening my brother with my screams at the weekend) because Colin O'Donoghue has been announced for Storybrooke! Really can't wait for April now for both the Con and Outlander returns!
Anyway, please review and let me know what you think. Thanks for reading!
Due to my illness I do sometimes have issues being able to write on a regular basis. I don't know when I'll get this next updated but I just ask for your patience. Many thanks!
~Anna-Margaret
xx