Hell Hath No Fury Like the Devil Scorned
Chapter Fourteen
Above the caverns below and Hades' lair, the ground shook when an earthquake suddenly erupted throughout the Underworld just as Emma, David, Snow, and Ursula walked inside the diner, not knowing Hades was the cause of it when he used Poseidon's trident to test his newfound power. The diner's patrons began to panic as most of them ran past the heroes out of fear. Charming quickly wrapped his arms around his wife, while Emma grabbed hold of the bar in order to keep herself standing upright, and the Sea Witch remained beside them, prepared to protect her friends should it be necessary for her to. However, the tremors vanished almost as quickly as it came only a few seconds later.
"What the hell was that?" Emma questioned, though not to anyone in particular as she looked around to survey any damage the quake might have caused. "Does that usually happen around here?"
"We can ask the Blind Witch when we talk to her," Snow responded sternly as she pulled away from David, but looked into his eyes as if to ask him if he was alright and he simply nodded, then they both looked around for any sign of the villain. "Where is she? She's always been here."
Emma let out a sigh in frustration, then replied, "Yeah, well she isn't here now. And neither is Cruella. We have an idea what the cavern where Killian's being held looks like, but we have no clue how to find it."
She turned her head away from her parents dejectedly and stared down at the empty glass lying out on the bar, then without thinking about what she was doing, Emma suddenly slammed it down against the counter causing the glass to shatter, as the broken shards sliced up her hand pretty good. Her father immediately rushed over to her and grabbed her hand when he saw it was bleeding, then pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket so he could wrap her hand once he pulled out the pieces of glass still embedded within her palm.
As he did so, David asked, "What were you thinking, Emma? I know you're upset because you're scared, but you can't lose control like that. Your magic is powerful, but you can't exactly heal yourself. Or can you?"
"I'm not sure," the Savior answered while she tried to use her magic to do so, but as she expected, it didn't work so her father continued to help her and began to wrap her hand with the handkerchief in order to stifle the blood slowly trickling out from the cuts when he finished.
"Emma… are you okay?" Snow then asked her daughter worryingly when Emma suddenly gasped as she appeared to fall into some kind of trance. "Emma? Emma!"
Without a warning of any kind, Emma suddenly found herself caught within another memory like what had happened earlier with her and Killian while they were lying together on her bed within her parents' loft the night before, as she then saw Hook and herself when they reached the top of a beanstalk, the very beanstalk they had climbed together shortly after they first met to find a giant within a destitute looking castle.
She was surprised as she watched the scene play out before her from a distance like in a strange dream and heard herself speak to the man whom she had yet to fall in love with in that time when she asked, "What happened here?"
Hook turned his head to look at her behind him while she looked around at the destruction that took place there long ago and responded, "It's where the final battle was."
"Give me your hand," he immediately continued more brusquely than he intended to be when he looked down at her hand and discovered she was bleeding from having cut herself during their climb up.
"What?" she questioned strangely again as she glanced down at it.
Hook gently continued, "Your hand… it's cut. Let me help you."
Emma started to object as she stated, "No, no. It's fine."
"No, it's not," he immediately retorted as he quickly grabbed hold of her arm using his hook and pulled her closer to him before she could object again.
"So now you're going to be a gentleman?" she asked him snidely while she looked at him with contempt.
The pirate Captain whispered, "Giants can smell blood, and I'm always a gentleman."
Hook uncorked a bottle he pulled from his belt using his teeth to do so since he only had the one hand to work with, then quickly spit the cork out and poured the flask's contents over Emma's bloody hand as she cringed in pain until she cried out, "Ah! Ow! What the hell is that?"
"It's rum," he replied and lifted her hand higher to get a better look at the cut as her blood was washed away. "A bloody waste of it."
She continued to pant against the pain while Hook pulled a piece of cloth that had been hanging around his neck and gently began to tie it around Emma's injury. She watched him as he worked, or mainly his eyes, surprised by his sudden care and compassion that she didn't expect to see from a villain like Captain Hook.
"Here's the plan," Killian said again while he carefully continued on with his task at hand, Emma watching him and his work as he did so. "We wait for the giant to fall asleep. When he does, we'll sneak past him into his cave. It's where the treasures are, where the compass lies."
Hook then looked up into her eyes as well while he once again used his mouth seductively to help him finish by tying off the cloth before tucking the extra length inside what covered the injury and Emma, feeling herself become entranced by his suave gentleness, softly asked, "And then?"
He quietly answered, "And then we run like hell."
"I don't have time to wait for a giant to fall asleep," Emma responded to him in frustration. "The powder Mulan gave us… We need to use it. We gotta knock him out."
"Well, that's riskier," Killian replied reluctantly.
She looked at him again as she questioned, "Than waiting for a giant to fall asleep when we need him to?"
The pirate made sure the cloth was secure and finally released her hand while he spoke again saying, "Point taken. Ooh, you're a tough lass. You'd make a hell of a pirate."
"Who's Milah on the tattoo?" the Savior asked him as he pulled the bag of powder the warrior had given to her below before she and Hook had begun to climb the beanstalk, then handed it over to her, revealing the reminder of his first love that he wore on his forearm.
"Someone from long ago," he answered her despondently after pausing a moment to fight against the despair the welled up within him again upon being asked the most personal question this intoxicating woman could ask.
When he didn't go into more detail, she continued to press him as she continued, "Where is she?"
Hook stepped around her and started walking towards the castle as he responded, "She's gone."
"Gold," she stated in a sudden understanding as to why he was so reluctant to talk about her, causing Killian to stop while Emma turned around to face him again and then he turned back to her too. "Rumplestiltskin. He took more than your hand from you, didn't he? That's why you want to kill him."
"For someone who's never been in love, you're quite perceptive, aren't you?" he asked her coldly.
The Savior then in honesty replied, "Maybe I was, once."
All of a sudden, Emma broke again from the memory that flashed through her mind as she heard her mother calling out to her, "Emma! Hey… are you alright? What happened? Did you see something? Was it Hook?"
"Yes… but not in this time," the younger woman answered while she struggled to shake off the heaviness she was feeling from being overwhelmed by the flashback that had taken control of her.
"What do you mean, not in this time?" David questioned in confusion while he looked between his daughter and wife in concern. "What did you see?"
Emma shook her head as she pulled out the shell containing the enchanted pearl given to her from Poseidon and responded, "It's nothing. At least, I don't think it is. It was just another memory between me and Killian. This isn't the first time this has happened. Last night, Killian and I both became caught up in one of his memories because we were resting and my hand was laying over the side of his head. We both saw the last few memories between him and his father… when Killian killed him. Nothing happened after that though, other than him becoming mortified that I had seen and heard what he had done to him. I even felt his rage and despair. We were talking about his father before I fell asleep and he rested with me. But I figured whatever it was that caused it to happen would be just a one-time occurrence. Until now, when I saw me and Killian as we were back up at Anton's castle trying to get the compass so Mom and me could return home. Somehow, Dad must have triggered it as he was wrapping his handkerchief around my hand, like Killian had done because I had cut my hand before while we were climbing the beanstalk. What the hell is happening to me? I know I was trying to heal my own hand just before it… I guess until I figure out what's really causing my powers to act so wonky, I need to be more careful about using them. I just wish all this wasn't happening right now. I really need them now, especially if Killian's hurt like I'm afraid he will be when we finally find him."
She then opened the shell so she could try to use the pearl to discover more of Killian's whereabouts. However upon doing so, a bright light emanated from the gift as it suddenly revealed the path for them to follow directly to the man they had come down into the Underworld to save. The power radiating out of the gem last only a few moments, but when its magic faded, the heroes were all shocked to realize they remembered everything they saw and knew exactly where to find their friend.
Emma immediately started towards the door to leave until Ursula quickly grabbed her arm to hold her back as she said sternly, "Whoa… Emma, wait… That wasn't supposed to happen. My father's enchantment isn't supposed to work like that. Whatever that was, whatever we just saw… it has to be a trap. Hades has somehow…"
"It's all right, Ursula," Poseidon serenely replied when he suddenly reappeared before them once more. "It's no trap. What you just saw and felt was Hades' power and the path, it will lead you to Hook. My brother and I made a deal. His idea, but I agreed. He offered to give you all a way to find Hook wherever he is now. The sooner you find him, the sooner Ursula will return with me to our own realm. Forgive me if wishing to protect my daughter is a selfish reason to accept."
"It isn't selfish at all," Snow answered with understanding. "David and I couldn't say if we would accept a deal like that or not if it came down to protecting our own daughter if it was necessary to do so."
The Sea Witch turned back to her father, glaring at him while she asked skeptically, "And what did you have to give up to get this gift? Father, where is your trident?"
He smiled at her and then responded, "Try not to worry about it. I had to transfer its power over to my brother as I handed it over to him. But I assure you, everything is under control and in time, Hades will come to realize our deal wasn't a deal worth making. I'm afraid that I just can't help you out any longer until I get my trident back from him. While I still have magic without my trident within our own realm and above in yours, it's as I said earlier. What I still possess isn't strong enough down here without it."
"Oh, father…" she uttered, while the Sea King pulled his daughter into a hug.
"Don't worry about it, daughter," he replied softly. "Please, just hurry and help them to find Hook so you can leave here as soon as possible. Hades will find me in our realm when he's ready to recant on our deal."
Without another word to her, the God vanished again, just as the Blind Witch then returned as she walked inside the diner she ran, followed by Cruella and Jack, though neither Emma, David, or Snow recognized the third woman who entered. However, she seemed to know David as the woman strode up to him, then began to seductively caress his cheek until she suddenly slapped his face hard and Snow immediately pulled Jack away from him, stepping between her and her husband.
Jack laughed and then spoke up callously saying, "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I just couldn't help myself. Your man here is the mirror image of his brother. That hit was for your brother leaving me behind to die so he could escape the giants. I was poisoned because of him. And he just left me, carrying a bag full of the giants' treasure. If I could kill him, I would. But at least he's down here trapped in this Hell with me. And if Hades has any amount of mercy in him whatsoever, hopefully you will all soon join us."
While the Blind Witch once again walked around the counter to stand behind her bar and Cruella took a seat in one of the booths to eagerly watch the scene before her, David looked at her in surprise as he asked, "You're Jack. The giant slayer? Anton spoke of you, how you betrayed his trust and killed his family."
"We saw what was left of you when Hook and I climbed the beanstalk to find something inside the giants' castle," Emma added when she stepped closer to the woman and noticed the blood smeared on the front of the woman's corset, as her eyes darkened. "You were there… with Hook. All of you were there while he was being tortured. You helped."
"Yes I did," the slayer answered cruelly as she sneered at the Savior. "And luckily for you, I've already had my fill of violence today. Your poor pirate Captain is brave, but he's also weak. Especially now. He tried not to, but he screamed when Pan cut off his only hand and then cried, as we whipped him over and over again."
Emma grabbed her by her lapels as she angrily retorted, "You really enjoy inflicting pain on those who stand in your way, or those who can't defend themselves? I was the Dark One just days ago and believe me, I know how it feels to want to make my enemies suffer too."
All of a sudden, as though she had no control over what she was doing, Emma used her magic to force Jack against the wall behind her and held her there firmly while the killer struggled to cry out when she then began to choke against the pressure over her throat even though she couldn't feel any pain due to already being dead, then Emma continued, "Especially when those I love are threatened."
"Well… I see that the darkness we tried to put into your precious Savior's heart hasn't disappeared completely," Cruella muttered snidely to Snow and David as the Prince quickly rushed forward to stand in front of their daughter to snap her out of her strange behavior, while Ursula turned her head to stare coldly at the woman she once worked alongside to do exactly what the spinster just pointed out. "It's marvelous, isn't it… darling?"
"You're not a part of this, Cruella," the Sea Witch responded and then swiftly blasted Cruella up against the ceiling above her and allowed her to fall to the floor, successfully knocking her unconscious.
Meanwhile, both of Emma's parents were pleading with their daughter to stop until David suddenly started to feel the effects of her power around his own throat, after which the Savior quickly broke from the sudden darkness to overpowered her upon realizing what she was doing, causing Jack to fall to the floor herself, then she looked up fearfully at the blonde woman and Emma looked between her father and mother as they pulled her into a hug while she whispered regretfully, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't… I don't know what came over me. I didn't mean to… I didn't want to hurt anyone. I just felt Killian's pain and I… I couldn't stop myself until it was almost too late."
Snow White caressed her daughter's cheek as she replied, "It's all right, Emma. It's all going to be all right. Your father's fine and soon we're going to find Killian and he'll be okay too. It's clear that you and Killian are connected now in more ways than you have ever been before and I don't believe it's just because you both were Dark Ones together. I believe that you already share a heart even though it's not in the literal sense. Your love, is very powerful. And beautiful."
"But I almost killed Dad," she answered angrily. "How is that beautiful?"
"You stopped yourself the moment I stepped in to help you," Charming responded confidently. "And I'm fine. I promise. The darkness is no longer a part of you, Emma. It's gone thanks to Hook and to you for being brave enough… to have the strength to do what was necessary to rid yourselves of it once and for all. I'm not sure I would have had to strength to kill your mother, nor she me, if the darkness had taken over one of us. As for what's happening to you, there may be residual effects left over from the darkness, but we also believe that your magic… your light magic you always possessed because you're the product of true love, is simply growing stronger than ever before. You just can't let it control you."
Snow smiled at her and then continued, "Come on. We know where Killian is now, or at least where well find him. We don't need these villains' help any longer."
Once the heroes were gone, Cruella weakly got up off the floor and walked over to Jack to help her stand as she stated brusquely, "I certainly know how you must feel, darling. Though that woman didn't do to you as she did to me. I've been on the receiving end of the Savior's anger before and it didn't end so well for me. Why do you think I'm here? At least you can't die again."
"I'll be sure to remember that the next time I see that bitch," Jack replied angrily, then stormed out of the diner to cool off.
"So, Cruella… what can I get you for dinner?" the Blind Witch asked the dog hater when Jack was gone. "Or is it lunch? I never can tell what time of day it is, especially not down here."
The villainess sat down at the bar, then answered, "Give me my usual. A roast beef sandwich with fries… and a tall glass of scotch. Or brandy. Whatever you have the most of in stock. I'll be here for awhile."
The witch sighed and then said, "Scotch it is."