A/N: Apologies for taking so long with this! I struggled with writing my parts for a bit, and thus took forever. We promise the next one will be up much sooner than this one.

"How are you doing this morning?" Sherlock placed two cups of tea on the table in front of Regina and slid into the booth. Granny's was busy this morning, bustling with different characters awaiting their morning cup of joe. They were lucky to find a spot.

Regina curled her hands around the cup and took a breath. "Good, good." She seemed more distant than normal, averting her eyes more often than not.

"Regina, please." Sherlock put down his cup and stared at her. "Talk to me. I know Emma's engagement is difficult to swallow. You're allowed to not be okay."

Regina shifted her eyes to him and then closed them. "I just want to be happy for her."

Sherlock nodded, understanding. He watched as Regina let go of the cup as well and laid her hands on the table. "It can be hard to be happy for others when the memories of your happy times are difficult now. You've every right to feel bittersweet about this situation."

Regina smiled. "Thank you."

Sherlock smiled back. "Would you like to talk about it?"

She waited a bit, stirring her tea. "Actually, not really. I'd rather take my mind off things."

"Alright, what would you like to talk about?"

Regina looked up, thinking. "You."

Sherlock laughed, rolling his eyes. "Boring old me? You're the interesting one. Wouldn't you like to talk about magic or the Enchanted Forest or something?"

Regina shook her head. "No, I want to talk about you. Tell me something I don't know."

"John Watson is my best friend."

Regina laughed. "Something I don't know, Sherlock."

Sherlock rolled his eyes again. "I shoot at walls when I'm bored."

Regina bent forward and placed her hand atop his. "Something you don't tell people."

Sherlock looked down at the hand, startled. It was warm on top of his, something he hadn't really imagined it would be. Then again, he didn't know if he had ever thought of it before. "I don't really hate my brother. I actually think he's smarter than me."

Regina's head tilted. "You haven't talked much about him."

Sherlock nodded. "I don't like to. We've always had a strange relationship. I do care about him, though. And he cares about me as well. We just don't care to show it."

Regina smiled. "That's sort of sweet." She pulled her hand away, leaving a cold shadow where hers had been, and picked her cup up again. "Thank you for telling me."

Sherlock nodded. "You know you can ask me anything, right?"

Regina laughed. "Yes, I won't hesitate to."

Ana pushed a cart of books around the library, taking her time returning each one to their proper home. Belle was out completing errands, leaving Ana to work by herself. It hadn't been busy though, so she was fine. If she was being honest, she enjoyed the quiet. She liked being around Belle, but sometimes she wished to be alone.

She hadn't heard the door open, so she was unprepared for the figure standing in the lobby. She stopped short, slamming into the cart with a harsh grunt. Her heart started pounding rapidly when she realized who the person was. It was a man with pale skin and dark robes, and he regarded her with icy eyes. Ana felt her body seize up.

"Hades…" she breathed. The god smirked.

"So you know who I am. Excellent. That will make this so much easier."

Ana gripped the cart, her knuckles turning white. "Of course I know. You've been haunting my dreams."

Hades waved a hand around. "Oh, that? I like to do that for the people I'm planning on visiting. You, my dear Anastasia, are rather high on that list."

Ana swallowed, and her eyes darted around in search of an escape. He was blocking the front door, but there was a chance she could make it to the back entrance. But could she outrun him?

"I swear," she said, "I've done nothing wrong. Or, at least, I haven't in a while. I'm good now, honestly."

Hades had been running his fingers along the circulation desk. "You think that matters to me? Oh, sweetie, no. I don't discriminate. Sinners, saints, I take them all. Especially those who have evaded me when their time was supposed to be up."

"What do you mean?" she asked, knowing exactly what he meant. She just needed some time. Maybe if Belle returned soon, she could get help.

"Well, in Wonderland, I know you died. You were mine for the taking, and then you were brought back. That defies the laws of magic. I don't like it when that happens. And then, just a few months ago, you were drained of your power. Now, that doesn't necessarily mean instant death, but you lost it because of the Ash Apple. That's supposed to kill you." He eyed her. "But it didn't."

Ana raised her chin. "I'm stronger than most people."

Hades smirked. "Yes, clearly. But I'm afraid that won't do you a whole lot of good." He walked over to the elevator on the other side of the room, lightly resting his hand on the door. "It's a shame, since you've built yourself such a nice life. That's why I'm giving you a few days to get your affairs in order." He looked over at her, giving her a pout. "I'm nice like that."

"And there's no way to change your mind?"

He held his hands out. "I'm sorry. It's the way this works." He didn't sound apologetic at all.

Striding over to the door, Hades paused. "If it helps at all, you're not the only person I'm taking. This town is full of people who have escaped me." He grinned, a baring of teeth. "It's time I collect."

He left the library with a wave of his fingers. Ana sagged against the cart the minute the door shut behind him, her breaths coming out harsh and fast.

Hades was here. In Storybrooke. To take her to the Underworld.

She stood up straight, her mind racing. No, she thought. I've worked too hard. I've come too far.

Shoving the cart away from her, she ran out of the building. She needed to find Will.

Molly stood at the entrance of the lab, a jacket over her arm, her lap coat toppling from her bag, and a cup of coffee in each hand. She pushed her back onto the door and entered. "Oh!" She hadn't been expecting for him to come in so early. "Jefferson, hi."

He smiled and walked towards her, offering to help with her things. Once they were settled in she handed him one of the coffees. "I wasn't expecting you to be here to early."

Jefferson smiled nervously. Molly wondered what had gotten into him today. "Everything alright?" she probed.

"I just wanted to come in and talk to you." Jefferson blushed.

Molly smiled. "We always talk, what is it?" She let her hand fall onto his knee, to comfort him. He seemed nervous, his heart rate was up and he was fidgeting.

"Actually, I was going to ask if you would want to go out… sometime." It was immediately clear to Molly that Jefferson had never asked anyone out before.

Molly straightened her lab coat and smiled. "Actually, I would." She stared at Jefferson, trying to make him feel invited.

His face immediately brightened. "Really? I mean, that's great, we could go to dinner, or I could make you dinner, or we could even just walk around, or go to Granny's, I mean it doesn't have to be something formal, but if you want it to be then that's great too-"

"Anything sounds great," Molly cut him off, smiling. "How about we go to dinner? Tonight, maybe? I get off at-"

"Five, yes, I know." His eager response nearly made her want to laugh.

Molly nodded. "Why don't you pick me up around seven?"

Jefferson smiled and nodded. When she finally let go of his knee, she realized that she had been waiting for him to ask for over a month now. She had been beginning to think that he never would. She thought about where they would go, what she might wear, what they would talk about. Maybe she was the one who ought to be nervous.

Hades ended up in the center of a friendly living room. A woman cradling a child stood before him, startled, and dropped the bottle that she was using to feed him. "Excuse me?" She took a step back - that was a pretty common occurrence - and stared at him in fright.

"Snow White, right?" Hades took a step to the side, trying not to scare her too much. "Hey, that kinda rhymed. Anyway, calm down. I'm Hades, nice to meet you, now, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to go over a couple things."

"Hades?" The woman stared at him.

Hades rolled his eyes. "Yes, you know, God of the Underworld, taker of souls, yadda yadda yadda. I'm here to take yours, actually." He looked down at his nails. He had been flailing his arms around for dramatic effect, but now he noticed how grim his nails had become. He supposed after centuries of living in the depths of Hell they would begin to rot a bit, but this was just ridiculous. He would have to get them fixed right away.

"My soul? What? No! I have a child!" He so hated it when people raised their voices at him. He was just taking their souls, why did they have to be so rude about it?

Hades dropped his shoulders and stared at her deadly. "Yes. If you might recall, you and your - what do you call him? Prince Charming or whatever? Yeah, if I'm not mistaken, you two share a heart, correct?"

Snow White stared at him blankly. That meant yes. "Anyway, that's one heart. One as in, meant for one person." He tried to spell it out as slowly as possible. These mortals were ridiculously dull. "I'm sorry to tell you, sweet cheeks, but Charming was supposed to die." Hades frowned dramatically, sarcastically. "So, look. Since you both share a heart, I'll give you a choice. In a few days when I come to collect, one of you comes with me. You can choose who, I don't really care, it's all the same to me."

Hades stood for a moment awkwardly. He hated being the bearer of bad news. But, then again, it was sort of fun. "Anyway, I've got people to see, places to be, so just be sure you're ready when I come back." He didn't wait to see her reaction, he was on to another new mommy. He wanted to get those ones out of the way quickly, no point in hanging around longer than he needed to.

Regina's cell phone rang, startling her and Sherlock. She cursed the interruption. They had been having a nice talk, one she had been enjoying immensely. It had been enough to take her mind off the breakdown she'd had the day before.

"Hello?" She shot Sherlock an apologetic look, which he waved away. She focused back on the panicked voice yelling in her ear.

"-And he said we have to choose! Regina, what are we going to do?"

"Slow down, Snow," she said. Sherlock sat up. "What happened?"

"Hades is here," Snow gasped. "In Storybrooke. And I think he's come for the people who have escaped death." She swallowed audibly. "David and I are two of them."

An icy, sinking feeling spread over Regina. She gripped the phone a little tighter, her mind already racing through the number of people in Storybrooke who had cheated death. The list was rather long.

"Okay, okay," she said, pulling on the mayor persona she needed. "Calm down. We'll figure this out."

Snow didn't seem totally reassured, but she spoke in a calmer tone. Regina hung up and stared at the tabletop in front of her. She realized it had been stupid of her to think they could have more than a couple months of peace. That wasn't in their nature.

"What happened?" Sherlock asked. Regina jumped. She'd forgotten he was there.

"It seems we have a new visitor in town. Maybe you've heard of him." At Sherlock's raised eyebrow, she said, "Hades."

Panic flashed across his face briefly before he composed himself. Regina was grateful for it; she really didn't need everyone to dissolve into hysterics.

"What do you need me to do?" he asked. She was struck by how willing he was to help, even in the face of a god.

"Nothing right now," she said slowly. "I need to go to my vault for some things, but until we know more-" Her stomach dropped. "Henry."

"What about him?"

Regina clenched her hands into fists, willing herself not to scream. "He's escaped death. He once gave his heart to Peter Pan - long story," she added at Sherlock's dumbstruck expression. "Hades might go after him, too. Oh my God…"

Sherlock touched her hand. "I'll find Henry," he said, speaking in a firm voice meant to calm Regina. It worked, somehow. "You go do what you need to do."

Regina tangled her fingers with his. It grounded her, made her mind clear. "Keep him safe. Please." He nodded.

"Go, Regina."

John Watson had seen a lot of strange things in his lifetime. Being friends with Sherlock Holmes would do that. And he really thought that after magic, he'd seen it all.

Apparently he was very wrong.

Because there was a gray-robed man standing in his living room, and John had no idea how he'd gotten there. Mary stood next to John, her hand gripping his tightly. John was grateful Jemma was taking her nap in the bedroom.

"Mr. and Mrs. Watson," the man said. "How nice to meet you. I gotta say, you're the first people from outside of the magical realms that I've met. This is a special occasion for me."

"I'm sorry, who are you?" John asked, adopting what Sherlock called his "Captain Voice." It didn't seem to have much of an effect on the man, which discouraged John a bit.

"Oh, where are my manners? I'm sorry, I'm Hades."

Mary's grip intensified. "Hades?" she asked. "As in the god?"

Hades grinned, his face stretching to accommodate it. It made John's skin crawl. "So you've heard of me. Excellent, that'll make things so much easier."

"What things?" John asked. His eyes flicked to the bedroom. He wondered if he could make it there in time to protect Jemma if the need arose.

"Do you two only speak in questions? I have to say, it's a little annoying."

"What do you want?" Mary asked, her voice stern. John nearly looked at her in surprise. He often forgot there was a whole side to her he barely knew, a side that could keep her cool in front of a god.

Hades sighed and began to walk around the living room. His movements reminded John of Sherlock.

"I'm here to take your souls," he said casually, as though he was telling them about his vacation plans. "Sorry," he added as an afterthought.

"Why?" John asked. He mentally berated himself for it. He hated sounding so simpleminded.

"Because both of you have cheated me, and I can't really let that happen." He gestured to John. "You were shot. And stuck in a bonfire, but I wasn't really counting that." He looked to Mary. "And you, my dear, well…" He laughed, and John shivered. "Your past profession wasn't exactly the safest, was it?"

John felt like his throat was made of cotton. He kept his gaze trained on Hades, though his every instinct was screaming at him to look to Mary. Her hold on him was so tight, it made him think of when Jemma was born.

"You can't do this," Mary whispered. "We have a newborn, we haven't done anything wrong."

Hades flapped a hand. "Don't waste your breath, I've heard it all before. The newborn thing I'd just heard across the hall. You're not the only ones I'm taking, if that helps. You'll be amongst friends."

"So that's it, then?" John spoke up. "We have no say in this?"

Hades pretended to think about it. "I'm afraid not, no. But I'm giving you a few days to put your things in order. Does that make up for it?"

"No," Mary and John said in unison. Hades shrugged.

"At least I can say that I've tried."

Emma set down the phone onto the station's table and let out a little yelp. Snow had just called her, panicking and in tears. It wasn't often that Emma felt like crying, but today she certainly did. She tried to list off all of the people that she had defeated - with help from everyone in Storybrooke - but a Greek god didn't really fall into the same category as those villains.

She tried to rack her brain for options, she could talk to Hades, try and work out a sort of deal, maybe he was the Mr. Gold type. Or maybe she could go against him with her magic - though it seemed unlikely - he was immortal, after all. After a few seconds, she sat down in her sheriff's chair, nearly panting. She had seen crazy things since joining this town, but she had never guessed that a god would be after them.

Making up her mind, she decided to see if Regina had any ideas. If not, she would try Belle, hopefully she could do some research. Emma picked up her jacket and headed out of the door, trying to calm herself.

When she felt the temperature difference outside, though, something shook her. It was colder than it should have been. Before she could really understand why, she noticed a woman walking towards her, in some kind of ancient dress. "Hi there," the girl said, not too excitedly.

Emma stopped in her tracks, looking the girl over. "Oh, um, hi. I - who are you?"

The girl rolled her eyes. "I'm Megara, you can call me Meg. I'm Hades' little assistant. Or whatever. He's off doing business, though. I thought I could chat with whoever's in charge around here."

Emma looked around. That would probably be Regina. "I'm the sheriff, what do you need?" She couldn't decide if she should be worried or not.

"Well." Meg tossed her hair over her shoulder and stuck her hand on her hip. "I just wanted to warn you, figured you could tell the rest of the town. Hades is planning on taking the souls of everyone who has cheated death before. I figured, in a town like this, there would be plenty of candidates."

Emma looked down. She wasn't wrong.

"Look, Hades isn't a 'bad' guy. He's kind of terrible, but he's just here to be fair. People can't expect to have their happy endings after they've cheated death. I just wanted to warn everyone. If you happen to have any loved ones," Meg cringed, "I would consider going to be with them right now. Hades doesn't waste any time."

Emma thought immediately of Killian. He had been alive far longer than he was supposed to. She wondered if that would be considered "cheating" death. Meg stood silently, waiting for a response.

"Thanks, I guess," Emma said. "Look, is there anything we can do to stop the process? Anything that would make him reconsider?" She doubted the answer would be something she could use.

Meg shifted. "Well," she started, laughing a bit, "not unless any of you know any Greek gods. I guess the only one who could overpower his decision would be one of them. But that seems unlikely, doesn't it?"

Emma sighed. "Well, thanks, I guess."

Meg nodded.

Emma walked away quickly, thinking of Killian and her parents. Maybe they would find a way to fix all of this, though it seemed unlikely. She headed down the street for her house. Her ring hung heavy on her left hand, she only hoped that she would see the day where she and Killian could actually say their vows. At the moment, that wasn't looking too possible.

As Regina approached her vault, she noticed someone standing against the stone building. Her body tensed for a moment before she realized who it was.

"Tink?" The blonde fairy pushed off the wall and hurried over. Regina barely had time to process it before Tink pulled her into a hug. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see how you're doing," Tink said, her gaze sweeping over Regina's face. "I wanted to come right after everything with Robin, but it never seemed like the right time." She looked at the ground. "I'm sorry for not coming sooner."

Regina touched Tink's arm. "You don't have to apologize. I didn't want many visitors."

When Tink lifted her head, there were tears sparkling in her eyes. Regina swallowed, wishing she could avoid what was coming next. She knew that Tink's heart was in the right place, but she wasn't in the mood. She doubted she would ever be.

"I'm so sorry, Regina," Tink whispered. "Neither of you deserved this."

The sun felt too hot. Regina's left hand felt too light. She closed her eyes.

"Thank you," she said thickly. Tink hugged her again.

"How are you doing? And I mean really," she said, pulling away. "You can't lie to me."

Regina swallowed. She was prepared to say what had been her automatic response for the past two months - "I'm fine" - but then she stopped. Something prevented her from getting the words out, from repeating something that wasn't necessarily true.

"It's been hard," she said. "Really, really hard. But I'm getting by." She paused, feeling some of the tension leave her body. "I'm getting better."

Tink smiled. "That's good. I'm glad to hear it."

Regina found herself smiling, too. It felt good, familiar. She'd come a long way, and she still had a long way to go, but at that moment, in the warm afternoon, she felt confident she'd actually make it.

Hades would have been lying if he said he wasn't looking forward to his next visit. It might even be the one he was most excited for. He normally would have saved it for last, but he couldn't wait. This one had been a long time coming. It was time to pay up.

Rumplestiltskin regarded him coolly from behind the counter of his shop. He gave no outward signs of surprise, confusion, or fear. He simply looked at him. Hades was rather impressed.

"I don't really need to explain why I'm here, do I?" Hades asked, inspecting a dusty artifact in a glass case. He turned around in a circle, taking in every inch of the shop. It certainly had a lot in it.

"No, I suppose you don't," Rumplestiltskin replied. "A man who has lived as long as I have should accept that a visit from you is inevitable."

Hades grinned, tapping his fingers on the case. "I knew you were a smart man, Rumplestiltskin. Man, that name is a mouthful. Who came up with that, your mother or your father?"

Rumple gritted his teeth. "Just get on with it. If you're going to take my soul, do it. Don't hide behind pointless words."

Hades brought a hand to his chest. "You think I would do it so quickly and not give you time to say goodbye to your darling Belle?" Rumple's eyes flashed dangerously. "I'm giving everyone a few days to put their affairs in order. I trust you'll use that time wisely."

"I don't have much choice now, do I?" Hades pursed his lips in faux-concentration.

"No, I suppose you don't." With a wiggle of his fingers, he left the shop, a broad grin fixed on his face. This town was so much fun.

Sherlock walked quickly to the school, thinking and thinking about what he might do if he was approached by Hades. Once he had arrived, Henry was already waiting outside. "They said my mom called, is everything okay?" Henry's voice had wavered as he stood to greet Sherlock.

Sherlock hadn't given much thought to Henry's condition, but it seemed clear at the moment. He didn't know what was happening, and he thought it was like the last time he had gotten news. "Everything's alright, for the moment." Sherlock motioned for Henry to walk with him. The boy hurried and did so. Sherlock figured the safest place would be his own apartment, though he didn't know why, Henry would be much safer with Regina. "Apparently Storybrooke has a new visitor."

Henry looked up, interested. "Who?"

"Hades, actually." Sherlock furrowed his brow, turning the corner onto his street. He never thought he would be informing someone that the god of the Underworld was a threat.

"Hades, like, from Hercules?"

Sherlock tilted his head. "Well, yes, I suppose so."

Henry laughed. "I've seen that movie, maybe we should bring Hercules in to save everyone." He smirked. Sherlock chuckled, he had grown quite fond of Henry lately. After a moment, however, Henry's face went darker. "Wait, what does he want here? Is he threatening people or something?"

Sherlock swallowed. He didn't particularly want to be the one who told Henry that he might be in danger. "I think so, yes. You mother told me to come get you in case something happens. I don't know much else." Sherlock silently hoped that Regina would be back shortly, she was a better fit for protecting her son.

"I wonder if Hercules exists in this realm or not." Henry walked alongside Sherlock, thinking deeply. "Hey, what about Meg? Is she here too?"

Sherlock stared at Henry blankly. He had been smart enough to watch multiple children's movies once Mary got pregnant, in order to get some kind of knowledge base before Jemma was born. He had watched Hercules a few times, it had actually interested him as he quite enjoyed the Greek gods, but to assume that everything from the movie was real was a bit unrealistic. "I'm not sure, perhaps we could ask your mother about it."

Henry smiled. He seemed to be taking this as a normal threat, like something that had happened before. "Yeah, we'll do that."

"What are you talking about, Emma?" Killian sat at the kitchen table with his fiancée.

Emma sighed. "Hades. I think he's coming for you."

"That's ridiculous." As he said the words, a figure appeared beside the table. The man cracked his neck and sighed.

"Oh, hello."

Killian held his breath, his eyes growing wide. "Who the hell are you?"

"First of all, I prefer to call it the Underworld, but alright. I'm Hades, you know, the one who takes the souls and what not."

Killian stood. "You aren't taking anything from me."

Hades rolled his eyes. "Oh honey, yes I am. You've been alive for far too long. If that's not cheating death, I don't know what is."

Killian gritted his teeth.

"Look, I'm giving everyone a few days to do whatever, but after that, I'll be back, soon you'll see."

Killian balled his hands into fists and sneered at the man, if that's even what Hades was. "We'll see about that."

Hades disappeared then, leaving Killian and Emma in their kitchen. Killian sat down after a moment. He placed his face in his hands. "What on earth are we going to do?"

Emma shook her head and placed her hand on his. "We'll do it together."

Ana paced the apartment, waiting for Will to return. She hadn't been this nervous in a long while. She could feel her hands shaking, her head spinning. It was like her body wasn't hers already. Once she heard the click of the door, she rushed over. Will dropped the groceries in his arms and let her rush into his embrace. "Ana? What's happened?"

Ana didn't speak for a few moments, she clung tightly to Will. "Hades came. He's coming for me in a few days."

Will let go quickly. "What? He was here?"

Ana shook her head. "I was in the library, he just appeared. He told me that I wouldn't be able to live any longer. I only have a few days." She hadn't cried yet, too scared to believe that it was real, but she began to then, letting herself grow limp so Will would hold her. "I don't know what to do, Will."

"It's okay, it's okay." Will pulled her closer. "Tell me everything he said."

Ana repeated the conversation and tried to force herself not to cry. "Will, I don't know what I'm going to do. I don't think I have a choice."

Will sat and held her hand. "We'll figure something out, okay?"

Ana shook her head. She reached up and wiped some tears away. "It wasn't even my fault, Will. Moriarty did this, I had no choice."

"I know." Will's eyes looked hopeless, she had only ever seen him like that when Jafar had killed her. Hearing Will's screams as she slipped under were the worst things she had ever heard. She had evaded death that time as well, but even then it was partly her own fault, this though… she didn't know how to accept it.

Hades appeared in the lab, but had to wait over a minute for its two inhabitants to notice him. The man, Jefferson, smiled giddily at the girl who was leaning over some old hat. Once he noticed Hades, Jefferson had looked up and widened his eyes.

"Hi." Hades hated being kept waiting.

Jefferson blinked and walked over, his face cold. "What are you?"

Hades scoffed and put his hand on his hip. "Excuse me, I'm Hades, god of the Underworld. Don't talk to me like that, young man."

Jefferson lifted his head back. "What?"

The girl had run over as well now, standing scared next to Jefferson. "I'm here to tell you that I'll be back in a few days to collect your soul." He had felt a bit bad about it beforehand, it hadn't been this man's fault that his head was once cut off, but Hades felt now that Jefferson was a bit too rude for his tastes, and promptly decided to dislike him.

Jefferson's eyes grew wider, and his face more disgusted. "What are you talking about?"

The girl, Hades didn't know her name, stepped in front of Jefferson protectively. "You will not take anything of his if I have anything to do with it."

Hades laughed. Who was she? "Cute. No, actually though, I will. This one was supposed to die back in Wonderland, in case you didn't know. He's lived longer than he should have. I'm just correcting that mistake."

The girl's lip quivered. "But-"

Hades shook his head. "Sorry, babe. I'll be back soon." And with that, he vanished.

Charming had taken the news surprisingly well, all things considered. He hadn't started yelling, at least. He was sitting at the kitchen counter, and he hadn't moved from his position since Snow started telling him about Hades' visit. In fact, she was starting to get worried that he'd gone into shock.

"David?" she prompted. He shook his head slowly.

"He can't do this." He looked up at her, his eyes lost and confused. "Can he?"

Snow sank down next to him and took his hand in hers. "I already called Emma and Regina. They're on it."

Charming gave a distracted nod before looking back at the countertop. Snow wanted to scream. Not at her husband, but at Hades. At their lives, for never letting them have more than a few months of peace. Weren't heroes supposed to get happy endings? Why was theirs constantly being threatened?

An insistent knock on their door drew Snow from her thoughts. She exchanged a look with Charming before getting up to answer it. John and Mary stood on the other side, John looking rather angry and Mary on the verge of tears.

"He came to you, too, didn't he?" Snow asked, dread spreading through her. One nod from John had her moving aside and inviting them into the apartment.

"Please tell me we can stop this," Mary said. "A magical solution, a trade."

"Doesn't Rumplestiltskin live here?" John asked. "He specializes in deals, right?"

"Regina and Emma are working on it," Snow said, wishing there was more she could say. She didn't like being on the outside of it all, powerless to help.

John was rubbing Mary's back. He'd put on a good face, Snow saw, but it was cracking. "We just - we have Jemma," he said hoarsely.

"We have Neal," Charming spoke up. Snow's heart clenched at the defeated tone he had taken on. Her husband had always been full of optimism. Where had that gone?

"Nothing is set in stone yet," she said. "We still have a few days." Charming came over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You're right," Mary said. "There's still time." She tried to smile at John, who simply pressed his lips together.

"I should call Sherlock," he said. "I don't know if he knows yet. He might be able to figure something out."

"He probably does," Snow said. "He's with Regina." John nodded.

"Right. How could I forget? They've been glued at the hip, practically."

Mary squeezed her husband's hand. "I'm sure he's fine." She looked to Snow and Charming. "I'm sure we'll all be fine."

Snow smiled, though it was filled with fear and wariness. Mary and John didn't deserve this. They were from the regular world, magic hadn't been a fixture in their lives. They should have avoided all this. Snow hated to think about what kind of lives they could have been living if they hadn't moved to Storybrooke.

"How about some tea?" she suggested now, trying to erase her unnecessary guilt. "While we wait for more news."

John and Mary nodded, and Mary left to get Jemma, not wanting to leave her alone for longer than necessary. As Snow prepared the kettle, she heard John whispering to Charming.

"This is normal, right? Mystical beings coming to destroy your lives?"

"Yeah, it kinda is."

John paused. "And you always win, right?" Robin flashed in Snow's mind, and she knew he did in Charming's too.

"Most of the time."

Henry stretched out over Sherlock's couch, his notebook forgotten on his lap. "I'm just saying that I'm the Author. Words are my thing, not numbers. So math is pointless."

Sherlock turned away from the window and shook his head. "Have you tried that argument on your mother?" He watched as Henry slumped against the cushions.

"Yeah…"

"And how did that go?"

Henry groaned and picked the notebook back up. "Fine. I'll do my homework."

Sherlock was relieved that Henry didn't seem worried at all. He hadn't questioned going to Sherlock's apartment, just made himself at home with his schoolwork. Sherlock actually suspected that the boy was more at ease than he himself was. Then again, Henry wasn't really aware of what was going on.

Sherlock checked his phone for the umpteenth time, frowning when he saw Regina hadn't messaged him. He felt helpless, unsure of what he should be doing. And he hated being cooped up in his apartment. Sherlock Holmes surrounded by walls wasn't a pleasant situation.

He wondered if he should text John. After all, if there was a new threat to the town, he should know. Sherlock was in the process of creating a new message when a knock sounded at the door. If he jumped more than what could be considered normal, Henry didn't comment on it. He opened the door and nearly fell over in relief when he saw Regina standing there.

"Hey, Mom," Henry called. Sherlock could actually see the anxiety fade from Regina's face at the sight of her son.

"Thank you for watching him," she said quietly to Sherlock.

"It's my pleasure," he replied. He saw the corner of her mouth quirk up before she joined Henry on the couch. He lingered by the door while Henry regaled her with stories about his day. As the boy talked, Sherlock felt his own anxiety slip away. It was silly, getting worked up over an event that might not happen. Hades might have no interest whatsoever in Henry. They were worried about nothing.

"So…" Henry said after he'd finished detailing the frog dissection he'd completed in science. "Hades?"

Regina shot a glare at Sherlock. "You told him?"

"Was I not supposed to?"

She rolled her eyes before turning back to Henry. "There is nothing to worry about. You're safe." Henry's eyebrows furrowed.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, because you're supposed to be dead."

All three of them jumped. The god of the Underworld himself stood in the kitchen, a bored expression on his face. Sherlock was by Henry's side in an instant, and Regina had leapt to her feet so they formed a wall in front of him. Sherlock belatedly realized his presence was pointless because he had no magic, but he didn't move.

"What?" Henry said, recovering from his shock remarkably fast. "How am I supposed to be dead?"

Hades sighed and walked into the living room. Sherlock could practically feel how tense Regina was beside him. She was like a tightly coiled spring.

"Did you," Hades said, "or did you not give your heart to Peter Pan once?"

"Uh-"

"Don't answer him, Henry." Regina's tone was biting. It would have been enough to cut down any normal man.

"And there was the time you ate a cursed apple turnover," Hades continued like Regina hadn't spoken. "I mean, I know it was a sleeping curse and all that, but by this world's standards you were dead." He smirked, an awkward baring of teeth. "You can thank mommy dearest for that."

Sherlock was curious about the last one, but knew better than to ask now. Regina took a step forward, and he had to restrain himself from grabbing her.

"You won't touch him," she said. "You can have anyone else, but not him."

Hades frowned. "I'm afraid that's not how it works, Your Majesty." He regarded her closely. "I must say, I'm surprised you're not on my list of people to visit. Kudos to you, really."

"You should leave," Sherlock said. Hades looked over at him in surprise, like he'd just become aware of Sherlock's presence. "Because you're not taking him."

"Not yet. Give me a few days. You can all say your proper goodbyes." Hades' eyes flickered with some indescribable emotion as he stared at Sherlock. "You'll have quite a few to dole out. I visited the Watsons earlier today, I know you'll want to take your time with them."

Sherlock's world tipped precariously on its side. John… Mary, no…

"We will stop you," Regina said.

"I'd like to see you try," Hades said. He disappeared a moment later with one more look directed at Sherlock. A shiver ran up Sherlock's spine.

As soon as he was gone, Regina turned and flung herself at Henry. He clung to his mother, and Sherlock could hear her murmuring about how she would keep him safe. Feeling like he was intruding, Sherlock moved into the kitchen.

How long was Hades' list? Henry, John, Mary… He braced his hands on either side of the sink, heaving. In a few days, they could all be gone. He prayed they would find a way to prevent it, but how could they stop a god? Magic was still so new to him. There was little he could contribute, beyond his mind.

"We need to make a plan," Regina said. He spun around to see her standing in the doorway to the kitchen. Behind her, Sherlock could see Henry gathering his things. His expression was blank, resigned.

"We can gather everyone," Sherlock said, pushing down his roiling emotions. "See how many people are affected." He made sure he was looking right into Regina's eyes. "He won't take Henry, Regina. We'll make sure of it."

Regina nodded. Her eyes were far away, and she looked paler than usual. Sherlock's heart sank. She looked like she had after Robin died. Then, she had lost her husband. Now, she might be losing her son. Sherlock's gut twisted painfully.

"You know," she said, her voice choked a bit, "I'm really glad you're not on his list."

Sherlock frowned. "Why?"

She looked down at the floor. "Because I can't stand the thought of losing you too."

He had his arms around her in seconds. It almost felt natural now, even though he'd only done it once. She fell against him willingly, her breathing ragged. She was warm, a sharp contrast from what she was feeling.

"He won't take Henry," he whispered. "He won't."

If he hadn't been straining his ears for a response, he wouldn't have heard her.

"I hope you're right."

The house was quiet when Rumple walked in. He'd put off coming home for a long time, trying to find the words he would need to explain everything to Belle. It made his whole body ache, to know that he was in danger of losing her yet again. While he had done a lot of terrible things in his past, he had truly believed he was on the right path now. Shouldn't he get the chance at a happy ending, finally?

Apparently not.

He paused in the entryway, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. The house felt too big and too small at the same time. He exhaled slowly and started walking toward the kitchen.

Belle appeared in the doorway before he had taken more than a few steps. For a moment, she simply stood there, arms hanging loosely at her side, lips pressed tight together. It only took him a second to understand.

"Who called you?" he asked.

"Emma," she replied, her voice thick. "She wants me to do some research."

Rumple walked closer, leaning heavily on his cane. He could see Belle's eyes glistening in the dim light of the hallway.

"I'm sure you can guess what I need to tell you," he said softly. Belle let out a shuddering breath.

"It's because Neal and I brought you back, isn't it?" she whispered. "You were supposed to stay dead."

"Now, now, don't blame yourself," he said, reaching out to cup her cheek. "I've been alive for hundreds of years. He would've come for me anyway."

Rumple's heart broke when Belle threw herself against him, sobs coming free as his arms came up to hold her. He closed his eyes and rested his head against hers.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. She laughed brokenly.

"You're the one being pulled to the Underworld," she said, "and you're apologizing to me?"

Rumple shrugged. "Yes. You don't deserve this."

"Neither do you."

He doubted whether that was true, but he chose not to say so aloud. Instead, he simply held Belle tighter. There wasn't much else he could do.

If this is how I end, he mused, I suppose I can't be upset.

It was funny, how deceptive appearances could be. To those who hadn't been disturbed by Storybrooke's latest visitor, it had been a perfectly normal, boring day. Those who had been, however, were struggling.

In apartments across the hall from each other, two sets of parents held their children close. Snow and Charming had Neal in bed with them, whispering how much he was loved. John and Mary were curled up on the couch, with Jemma nestled safely in her mother's arms. No words were being shared, but they weren't needed.

Really, anyone who had been visited by Hades that day was snuggled in the arms of their loved ones. They all wanted to believe someone would find a solution and save the day, but they couldn't run the risk that they wouldn't. If these were to be their last few days, they needed to spend it with those they cared for.

Cooped up in his own apartment, alone, Sherlock was working himself into oblivion. Every book he had on Greek mythology (which admittedly wasn't a lot, because he'd never bothered with it) was spread out on his kitchen table. His laptop displayed countless open tabs, each one detailing the different stories of Hades and his powers. Printouts had been taped to the walls. Considering how many hours had passed since Regina left with Henry, it was amazing to see just how much progress he'd made.

After Regina's breakdown in his kitchen, Sherlock resolved to do everything in his power to save Henry. He hadn't deluded himself into thinking he was strong enough to defeat a god, but his mind was the closest thing he had to magic. With the right amount of concentration, he could come up with something. Hopefully.

It took him far longer than it should have to realize there was someone else in the apartment with him. The air felt colder, the silence felt thicker. His heart felt heavy before he'd fully turned around.

"I was surprised when you didn't say anything earlier," Sherlock said coolly, facing Hades with what he hoped was a casual expression. "I'm fairly certain I fit your criteria."

Hades picked up an open book and skimmed its contents. He tossed it on the ground a moment later. "Of all the people on my list, you just might be the most frustrating, Mr. Holmes. You're a former drug addict, once on the verge of countless overdoses, which is one strike against you. Your second strike was the moment you actually died from a gunshot wound. And the third is you faking your death." He scowled. "That just irritated me."

"So you've come to collect my soul as well," Sherlock said. "Why make a second trip to tell me? You were here earlier, after all."

"To be honest, I felt bad for the queen," Hades replied, not sounding very sincere. "I mean, I took her husband a couple of months back, and now I'm taking her son." He shook his head. "Thought I'd spare her the bad news that I'm taking her new best friend too."

Sherlock ignored the wiggling in his gut at the words 'best friend.' "She'll find out eventually, won't she?"

Hades thought about it for a moment. "You know, I hadn't considered that." He shrugged. "Whoops. Anyway, I gotta go. It's been a long day, and I have a lot of souls to collect in the next few days. I'll catch you later, yeah?"

He was gone before Sherlock could reply. His hands were clenched into fists by his sides, and it took him a moment to realize they were shaking.

He was on the list. Just like John, like Henry, like Snow and Charming and Mary and who knows who else. Sherlock felt lightheaded, sinking onto his couch without really realizing he was. How am I going to tell Regina? he thought. Or better yet, how was he going to save himself?

He didn't have a clue.

A/N 2: Thanks so much for reading! Please let us know what you thought!