Firebird
"I still can't believe you told her to give Hades a chance," Emma muttered to Regina as they all gathered outside the fallen clock tower of the Underbrooke, all of them hoping that Gold's plan would actually work.
They were supposed to wait for Hades to seek them out for help. Because Gold was going to kidnap Zelena and hold her hostage, using Hades' proclaimed 'love' against him. He expected that Hades would come to the heroes for help, which would mean they could demand their own payment for 'rescuing' Zelena, like demanding their names be removed from the tombstones. Then they just had to find a way to either communicate with Ruby in the land of the living and have her use the slippers to come get them out, or use Gold's blood to create a portal of their own back to Storybrooke.
"She thinks she can change Hades," Regina sighed.
"I'm sorry, luv," Hook shook his head, "I missed the part where Zelena changed."
"I agree with Regina."
All eyes turned to Piper for those four words.
"...what?" it was Regina who spoke, clearly startled that Piper was agreeing with her.
Piper rolled her eyes, "By telling Zelena to do so, you have gained her trust and strengthened the bond between you. When Rummy seizes her, it presents the opportunity for you to swoop in and either help Hades save her, further strengthening it, or be there for her when Hades gives up on her. Either way it pushes her more firmly to Regina's side."
"So long as she never finds out Regina gave us the ok to kidnap her in the first place," Hook muttered. Regina had been against the plan, until the very end when she realized that Gold's plan would actually be a test for Hades' love and the true quality of it. Not that she was happy about it, but it was the only thing that could test him without Zelena pointing a finger at Regina for it since the plan was designed to make Hades think Gold was doing it completely on his own.
"Rummy has his own reasons for vengeance," Piper shrugged easily, before turning her head to the side as though hearing something behind her and giving them a pointed look as she continued, "He wants something from Hades and he will do anything to obtain it."
"Not happy about that," a voice spoke a moment before they saw Hades walk out from behind the clocktower.
It occurred to them all in that instant that was why Piper had turned the conversation, she had heard Hades' song either appear or approach and they did well to school their expression to not reveal what they knew.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Hook demanded, glaring at Hades.
"Get behind me, kid," Emma nudged Henry behind her, Regina stepping up beside her, too.
"Oh, I didn't find you to hurt you," he scoffed, rolling his eyes, "I came for your..." he seemed to genuinely struggle to speak for a moment, "Wow, this is hard. Help."
"Zelena," Piper answered, controlling herself enough not to smirk at how he was falling into their hands. Never doubt the two people with the most experience dealing with the desperate knowing how to make someone else desperate enough to do anything.
"Yeah, I went to meet Zelena for our date and found this when I went outside," he held up a piece of parchment, "Though I'm guessing you know what it says already," he narrowed his eyes, "You know the Dark One took her."
"He threatened to," Emma glanced at the others, "When we were coming up with a plan to stop you. Regina disagreed, and we sided with her," she offered, lying through her teeth, "She's her sister."
Hades scoffed, turning to Piper, "YOU stood against him?"
"Emma is my blood-family," was all Piper would offer, not a lie or a statement, neither agreeing nor disagreeing but giving him some sort of answer he would believe of a Siren, that family would come first, even before a mate.
"When Zelena didn't meet me for breakfast at the diner I knew something happened, that Gold did something," Regina added, knowing he would be suspicious as to how, exactly, they knew Zelena had been taken by Gold.
"Not just Gold," Hades frowned, handing the parchment over to Emma to read.
"Pan?" she blinked, trying to keep her voice surprised enough to be genuine but not over the top, "He went to Pan?"
It had been part of the plan, too. Peter Pan had offered him assistance when they first arrived, Gold refused. This though…this gave them the perfect opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. Get what they wanted from Hades and deal with for good Pan. Gold going to him would mean Pan would need to trust him or want something out of it, they could guess what it was given his obsession with finding Henry and living to become the most powerful, and it gave them the perfect opportunity to take out another villain in the process.
They couldn't let Hades know it though.
"They're asking for a meeting tomorrow," Hades remarked.
"Gold wants you to remove our names from the tombstones and give us passage out of here," Emma finished reading.
"So, do it," Regina urged, "I just got my sister back. I'm not going to lose her now."
It seemed to be just what Hades needed to hear to believe them, "Neither will I. I'll give them what they want, but I know the Stiltskins and their tricks. They're not gonna keep their word. Not unless I have an ace up my sleeve," he looked over at Piper for that, smirking.
"You are a fool if you think I would assist you against Rummy," Piper deadpanned.
"You might find yourself very willing," he remarked, "I can make it very difficult for you to say no."
"No."
"Hmm," he considered her, before waving his hand, "How about now?"
"What the hell..." Hook breathed, when images shimmered around them...
Hundreds of men and women, children even.
And not in a good state, all of them looking like they'd been through hell...or the Ogre Wars...bloody and bruised, some even missing limbs, others burned, all of them moaning in pain.
"How would you like to be haunted by the ones you've killed over the years?" Hades threatened.
Piper merely crossed her arms, "To be haunted, I would need to feel guilt for their ending. Otherwise their moans and groans are mere music to my ears."
He blinked at her, seeming genuinely surprised that there really wasn't a shred of guilt in her eye for those surrounding her. He considered her a moment, the smirk back on his face, "How about now?" he snapped his fingers and the men and women disappeared, leaving only the children, "The children of the Frontlands."
"You have very little concept for how the Siren instinct works," she continued, not batting an eye at the sight of the children, "I would kill them all again if it meant keeping Rummy or my family safe."
"Do they have a concept?" Hades challenged, nodding his head at the others around her.
Piper narrowed her eyes at him, seeing his plot. He wanted to torment her, that was true, but, failing that, he wanted to drive a wedge between her and the others, remind them what she was, how far she'd gone in her past, the awful and terrible things she had done to other people.
"Shall I introduce you to the Evil Queen and Captain Hook?" Piper countered, her tone implying there was not much he could show other villains that would turn them against her in that moment, not after the things THEY had done that were equally as terrible, "Or perhaps my mate, the Dark One?"
"It's not just villains standing beside you," he reminded her, cocky now, sure that Emma and Henry would be horrified.
"I've been there," Emma spoke, "I've had that darkness in me, I know what it can make do. I've seen how far pushing a person can get lead."
"I'm not just a hero," Henry stated, "I'm the Author, I know her stories. Mom and I wouldn't ever let it come to this again," he looked at the kids, so sad that they had been harmed, because of his aunt, but recalling how many of the stories of such brutality usually came after the humans turned on her or on Rumpelstiltskin. In a way...seeing all those people who had betrayed her or tried to hurt her and suffered for it...it made him feel very grateful and relieved that they had done what they had to Snow White and Charming, allowing Emma to become the Dark One. They hurt her worst of all and their plot, their careful and controlled plot, had let her get revenge without causing this much death and destruction. They'd done the right thing and helped the right person, saved the most people for it. So he looked up at Hades, right in the eye, "Aunt P had no one then," he said, reaching out to take Piper's hand, "But she has US now. She'll never have to go that far again, because we're gonna be there for her."
Piper smiled at Henry for his words, and turned back to Hades as he disappointedly waved his hand, banishing the souls away since they hadn't done what he wanted, "You think I would stand against my mate a second time?" she asked, "For Zelena?"
"Oh, I think there's someone else you would do it for," Hades taunted, another thought striking him at Henry's words, "Family means everything to a Siren, doesn't it?" he waved his hand and produced another scroll, pulling it open to show her what was written on it, "You help me, I'll tear this up contract between your beloved mate and his old pal, Fendrake."
The writing was too small for the others to make out what the contract was for, but Rumpelstiltskin's name signed at the bottom, along with another man's, 'Fendrake,' was clear enough.
Piper tensed, knowing exactly what it was and silently cursing herself for not realizing this was a possibility. Gold had told her himself he'd killed Fendrake years ago, it hadn't crossed their minds that the man had unfinished business...or that he would turn over the contract for Rumpelstiltskin's second born...HER first born...to Hades. That the man knew she was pregnant was not as much of a surprise, he was God of the Underworld, he knew what souls were in his domain, he likely knew there was an extra one there that he couldn't see that was far too close to her own. It did not take a genius to work out.
But this? She had truly believed a contract and a deal null and void when one of the parties involved died.
Apparently not, for Hades held the contract that would give him claim to her child.
"Who's Fendrake?" Hook frowned.
"No one," Piper nearly spat, glaring at Hades, her lip curling into a near snarl, her hands clenched in fists, "Rummy ensured that man was…"
"Dead?" Hades smirked, rolling it back up and stuffing it in his pocket, "Yes, so sad. Could have voided the contract, did, actually, but you see, having an outstanding contract results in literal unfinished business," he chuckled, "He was quite eager to sign it over to me if it meant he could move on."
"Aunt P," Emma reached out to touch the woman's shoulder, concerned and confused when the woman's glare turned positively venomous and she was nearly shaking with anger and fury under her hand.
She didn't know what the contract Rumpelstiltskin had signed was about, but the way Piper's left hand had moved to her stomach...she could guess.
The others might think it was just her shock at seeing Hades have something over Gold, it was a general gesture people could do when they were startled or alarmed, and with her flat-appearing stomach, they'd be none the wiser it was about the baby, but SHE knew.
It was weird, in a way, Emma couldn't help but notice how, after becoming the Dark One, she felt more…observant, more attentive. She had picked up so much from just those few brief words that she probably wouldn't have even realized before as only a hero. As a hero, guessing what the contract was about, she knew she would have assumed Gold had signed over Piper's child to Hades or to someone else and then killed them to keep the contract from activating. But the man she knew to be the Dark One didn't make deals like that without a loophole, so he was a man when he had made such a deal. That Piper knew about the contract, that she knew the holder was or should be dead…something niggled in her mind that this happened long, LONG before Piper had ever even met Rumpelstiltskin. This was an old contract Hades had stolen, it was not Gold handing over their child.
And that Gold hadn't said a word about it being in Hades' hand…she doubted he even knew, because that was not something he would ever keep from Piper, not after nearly losing the baby before.
"Do we have a deal?" Hades turned to Piper, "Cos if I'm gonna make one with anyone, it'll be the one who…how do you put it? 'Always upholds her end of a bargain?'" he grinned, backing her into a corner.
Or so he thought.
As the rage and the instinct fought within her, another thought presented itself...that this was playing right into their hands with an unexpected bonus.
For as much as he thought he had the advantage, using her, using her child, as leverage against Gold...it was truly no threat, not if she played her own cards right, she could protect her child and aid her mate at the same time. Hades had given up a true advantage in showing her the contract, in making her aware he possessed it, instead of holding it off as a trump card of some sort at the end.
Gold was never meant to KEEP Zelena in the first place. He was to hold her until Hades either sought their help, in which they could demand freedom from the Underworld, or till Hades betrayed Zelena and she turned on him. He was going to give her up to Hades, with a bit of spectacle, eventually, perhaps even in one piece if Zelena held her tongue long enough. And once they were back in Storybrooke with all his real artifacts and spells and potions, and with a way into and out of the Underworld...they'd have all they needed to find a way to utterly destroy the realm entirely.
And now, if she 'helped' him 'free' Zelena, he would tear up the contract claiming her child as well.
Once Gold found out about what Hades threatened to do?
Hades may have created 'hell' but he would be living in a far worse version of it than he could ever imagine once Gold and her were done with him.
They would find a way to destroy his kingdom and him if it was the last thing they ever did.
"I assist you in obtaining Zelena from Rummy and you will take our names off the tombstones so we may leave the Underworld," Piper stepped up to him, "As well as tear up that contract the moment Zelena is returned to you."
Hades shrugged and held out a hand, not seeming particularly concerned with what advantage he might be losing compared to what he would gain, "Deal."
She nodded, taking his hand to shake it, "Deal."
The rage and instinct still bubbled under her skin...but this, THIS, was for her child, to protect it, and for her child she could grin and bear the fury, hold it in, until that contact was destroyed.
~8~
Hades stepped into the diner, quickly turning the sign on the front door to 'closed' before he moved to shut the blinds as well. He turned, staring into the middle of the room and called out, "Show yourself."
A moment later, Gold and Peter Pan appeared in a swirl of magical smoke, Pan gripping Zelena's arm, "Glad to see you followed instructions and came alone," Pan remarked.
But Hades' attention was on someone else, "Zelena."
"I tried to stop them," she said, before holding up her left hand to show the magical cuff was locked onto it, But…"
"It's not your fault, it's theirs," now he turned his focus to the two men, glaring at them.
"Oh, is that so?" Gold taunted, "Because we wouldn't be here if you'd left those names off the tombstones. I don't fancy having my mate trapped down here."
"That was her own choice," Hades pointed out.
"Which she wouldn't have done if you hadn't targeted two of her family," Gold countered, "Now, between the two of us, which one has better leverage?" he smirked, gesturing at Zelena.
Hades merely returned the smirk, "I think we're rather even," he said, waving his hand and summoning Piper to him in a swirl of blue magic, his hand gripping her arm like Pan was Zelena.
"Pip," Gold frowned, catching her eye, tense and concerned for this was not part of the plan they'd made for how to negotiate with Hades. For her to be summoned in such a way meant she had willingly taken off the protective charm that would prevent it...something was wrong.
"Rummy," Piper gave him a head tilt, and a subtle wink of the eye on the side neither Hades nor Pan could see, "It appears Fendrake had unfinished business."
That was all she needed to say for him to understand what she was doing there and why.
"So you see," Hades chuckled, "I'm still the one with more leverage."
"We still have Zelena," Gold countered, doing his level best not to let his anger at the threat against not just Piper but their child get the best of him.
"If you give her to Hades," Piper spoke, "He will destroy Fendrake's contract and burn the names off the tombstones."
Gold scoffed even as he held Piper's eye, a show to make Hades think he wouldn't give Zelena up, "Why should we believe him?"
"A show of good faith, that what you want?" Hades taunted, before shrugging and pulling the contract out from his pocket, showing it to Gold to verify it was the right one, and ripping it up before their eyes, "There, now give me Zelena."
Gold considered the man a moment, when Piper spoke, "For me," she offered, knowing he needed a 'reason' to agree to Hades offer, a reason Hades would believe, "Give him Zelena, in exchange for me."
Gold sighed, but nodded, never able to bear putting her in danger even for show, and having her anywhere near Hades set him on edge. He moved to step forward with Zelena, reaching out to grab her arm, when Pan yanked her back.
"You know, you didn't say anything about her heart," Pan smirked, "You see, my body is ready to walk the earth again. Except for one thing. A living heart. So, if you don't mind," he twisted Zelena so he could lift his hand towards her chest, intent to rip her heart out.
"My heart has got a protection spell on it," Zelena warned him away.
He scoffed, "You may be good at magic, but we're better."
Piper let out a piercing whistle that had Pan reacting quickly to cover his ears, releasing Zelena who Gold quickly grabbed, the note ending relatively quickly once Zelena was in his possession. He shot Pan a glare, "You don't get to decide the terms when it comes to MY mate," he hissed at the man, before yanking Zelena towards Hades and Piper, the man stepping forward with the Siren to match him until they came face to face in the center of the room.
The men stared each other down before moving their arms forward, offering the women in their grasps to the other, using their free hands to grab their other arms and tugging them. They released their captives at the same time, stepping back with their women, the deal done.
Not about to give Hades a chance to back out or turn on them, Gold quickly waved his hand, taking himself and Piper away from there in a swirl of smoke, leaving Pan to glare at the spot before following. The door to the diner jingled as Emma and the others ran in.
"What happened?" Emma looked around, having been trying the door only for the protection spell on it to break just then.
"Where's Aunt P?" Henry turned to frown at Hades.
"The Dark One took her," Hades offered, his attention more on Zelena and tugging the cuff off of her.
"Are you alright?" Regina called to her sister.
Zelena glanced at her and nodded, before turning to Hades, "You made a deal to save me? I didn't think you'd do that."
Hades sighed and reached out to touch her face, "When will you believe I'd do anything for you?"
"I think I'm getting there," Zelena admitted with a light chuckle, before leaning in to press a kiss to his lips. There was a flare of magic through the room, Hades pulling away with a gasp, a hand flying to his chest and resting over his heart.
"Is that.." Zelena began.
"My heart," he nodded, smiling, "It's beating!" he reached out and pulled her into another kiss that was quickly interrupted by the room shaking and a rumbling noise sounding.
"What the hell was that?" Hook frowned, reaching out to steady Emma.
"My banishment," Hades answered, "It's over. I can finally leave this place for good," he sighed, turning to Emma and the others, "Very soon, at the cemetery, there will be a fully formed portal back to Storybrooke, but it will close at sunset."
"First things first," Emma shook her head, "Piper held up her end of the deal. Now it's your turn. We're going home through that portal, too. All of us."
~8~
"That wasn't what we agreed upon," was the first thing Pan said when they reappeared in Gold's shop, glaring at his son and Piper.
"Things change," Gold said simply, stepping closer to Piper in case Pan tried to attack her as the reason for that change.
He scoffed, "We agreed I would take Zelena's heart."
Gold shook his head, "We agreed I would get you A heart," he corrected, "You never specified WHEN I would."
Pan narrowed his eyes at his son, "You want me to sweeten the deal? Fine. I may have gathered some knowledge that can help you stop Hades, clearly he won't take kindly to you threatening his love."
"And what would that be?" Gold rolled his eyes, not thinking Pan would have anything of true use.
But Pan smirked, "I may know a way to kill a god."
Piper and Gold glanced at each other, more mildly curious as to what the man would suggest than wanting to know, and so Gold merely turned to him and said, "We're listening."
~8~
Piper stood outside the doors to the library, having been brought there by Gold before he poofed inside it, not before giving her a look she knew all too well. They hadn't been able to talk, not with Pan watching them, they couldn't talk even now, for the man's shadow could be anywhere, waiting and watching and listening. But the look, she could recognize it, it was one he had only ever given her when they were in dire straits or a tricky situation and he couldn't convey to her the plan in his mind. He had one, she was sure of it, he would never willingly help his father and she knew whatever he had planned would ensure the man's demise. But being unable to tell her what it was grated him as much as it did her. He could only give her a look asking her to trust him.
That he had put her outside the library, just after they had seen Zelena and Hades leave with her daughter in her arms, told her she was meant to distract those inside. There would be no reason for her to enter one way and him another if not that he needed to do something while everyone looked to her entrance.
She took a breath, content in the knowledge that whatever he did was for the benefit of her family and a detriment to Pan, and walked to the door, pulling it open to see Regina and Robin standing there with Henry, Emma and Hook nowhere to be seen.
"Henry," she called.
"Aunt P!" Henry hurried over to her the moment he caught sight of her, hugging her tightly from the side, ever conscious of her stomach even when it looked flat.
"Emma?" she looked between him and Regina as Robin stepped away from her to check something.
"She took Hook down there," Regina nodded towards the elevator, "In search of Ambrosia. Apparently it's the only thing that will allow Hook to leave this place. He's been down here too long," she added for clarity, "Breaking her heart in two wouldn't have worked."
"And Hades?" Piper continued, not commenting on that last fact, she had been sure it wouldn't have worked either, for numerous reasons.
"He took the names off the stones," Henry told her, pulling back, "And a portal is going to open in the cemetery in," he checked his watch, "A half hour so we can go through."
"Emma should be back by then," Regina offered, "It's open till sunset."
"I take it Zelena broke the curse on Hades' heart then?" Piper sighed, rubbing her head, she had been hoping to avoid that.
"Yeah," Regina nodded, "And Gold?"
"Dealing with Peter Pan as we speak," Piper nodded, glancing over at Robin as he joined them, keeping her features set where they were. She had heard, for a brief few seconds, how his song had missed a note before being restored to normal. He looked no worse for the wear though.
She could guess, given that Robin still had his heart, that Gold had not taken it. He HAD ripped it out for a short while, but given it back and that he had not come to collect her told her he wished to deal with Pan himself. Oh she would have loved her chance to kill the man, but she could give this to him. It was his father and his vengeance he needed to see though, HE needed to rid the world of Peter Pan, to know it was a sure thing this time and that the man could not come back to haunt either of them or their child. She had killed Milah and James, he deserved at least one kill of his own.
"Should we make for the portal and wait for them there?" Robin asked as he came up.
"No," Regina shook her head, "Emma will be back in time."
"Until then," Henry looked at them, "I have an idea for how to help everyone else while we wait.
~8~
Piper stood outside the library with Henry, Regina, and Robin, before a line of people that had gathered for Henry. The boy was using his abilities as the Author to help write out the stories of the people still trapped there, to help them find out what their unfinished business was to allow them to move on. He'd realized fairly soon after the first few times the writing appeared that, when someone was near him or touching him, the story would write about them or someone important to them. Piper had been right beside him when the story about how Hades had gotten Gold began to write itself...and now all he had to do was get people to touch the paper and their stories would appear.
"Here you go, Stealthy," Henry offered a page to the long lost dwarf, "Your unfinished business."
The sly man looked down at his page, his eyes wide, "Oh, wow. I hadn't realized how much resentment I held against Bashful. Thank you. And, um," he shifted a bit, glancing at the Evil Queen and the Pied Piper before leaning closer to Henry, "When you get back, can you tell my brothers I miss them?"
Henry nodded, "I will. You know, Leroy...Grumpy...he talks about you a lot."
That earned a smile from Stealthy as he quietly walked off to think about his business.
"Next," Henry called out, only for another voice to screech above his.
"I don't think so!" Cruella glared as she stalked forward, swatting people away as she went, shoving them aside when they weren't fast enough, "That's right, vermin. Scatter!" she glared at Regina who stepped in front of Henry when she got too close.
"Sorry, Cruella," Regina smirked, "But I don't think your unfinished business is going to take you to any place you'd like."
"Oh, I'm not here to collect my story," Cruella smirked, "I want to stay in this marvelous realm. You see, with Hades departing, the Underworld is going to need a new ruler."
"You?" Piper snorted, she gave it a week of Cruella being in charge before someone offed her...or an angry mob came after her.
"It's the only upside to you sentencing me to this fate," she shot back, "But the job would be meaningless without a citizenry to torment."
"You're too late," Regina told her, "You're not gonna be able to keep these people here."
"It's not them I'm talking about," Cruella smirked, "I'm going to keep all of YOU here. It's only fair, considering it was your son who refused to write me back to life, and you," she glared at Piper, "You dissolved my James, the best toy in the whole playpen."
Regina crossed her arms, looking bored now, "I'm still waiting to hear how you're going to stop us from leaving, Fuzzy. Because all your magic can do is make a dog roll over and beg. And hers?" she nodded her head at Piper, "Can do a whole hell of a lot more than that to PEOPLE too."
"True," Cruella nodded, "I don't have the magic to keep you all penned in here."
"But I do," the Blind Witch spoke as she magically appeared beside Cruella, throwing her hand out to shove them all back into the Library with her magic, slamming the doors shut on them.
Robin ran for the door, trying to shove it open, but it wouldn't give.
"Out of the way," Regina called to him, conjuring a fireball, "You forced my hand, kid eater!" she shouted out at the Blind Witch, hurling her fire at the door…but it still remained shut, going so far as to bounce the magic off and back at Regina, taking her down to the ground.
"Regina!" Robin ran to her side to help her up.
"What the hell?" Regina demanded.
"That's right!" Cruella called through the doors, "No one's getting out before sunset when the portal closes, and then no one's getting out."
"Consider it payback, Regina!" the Blind Witch added, "For tricking those children into burning me in my own oven."
"Ta-ta! Oh, it's going to be a nice eternity after all. At least for us."
Regina glared at the door, "Damn it!"
"It'll be ok, mom," Henry moved to her side, "Mom will help get us out when she gets back."
"I know she will," Regina huffed, "But Henry, I gave her my word that I would get you all out if she wasn't back in time. I can't even do that now."
"Rummy will get us out," Piper assured her.
Regina scoffed, "You really think he's going to come back for us, for you, when he has a chance out of here?"
"For me, yes, Henry as well, and Emma," Piper nodded, "You, Hook, and the thief would be more a consequence of that. Once he has dealt with Pan, if we are not yet free, Rummy will come for me. I have no doubt about that."
~8~
Regina huffed as she tried yet another spell to break them out of the library, to no avail, "I don't get it. The Blind Witch's spells are always half-baked."
"Is it not obvious?" Piper gave her a look, "This is not her spell."
"Hades," Regina realized, "He wants us trapped in here."
"Did you think he would give in that easily?" Piper sighed, she had certainly thought so, though she hadn't quite expected him to rely on the two most foolish villains in the Underworld to accomplish the task of stalling them, "He may have removed our names from the stones, for Zelena's sake, to convince her, but he would do all he could to keep us here regardless."
"We should have seen that coming," Regina agreed.
"You have become to heroic," Piper remarked, "Think like a villain and this was obvious."
"Yeah," Regina sighed, before glancing over at her, "So who's Fendrake?" she asked.
"No one of your concern."
Regina rolled her eyes, "He's someone Gold had a deal with and killed to get out of it, I got that, but what WAS the deal?"
Piper glanced at her, "What makes you think I would ever tell you?"
Regina was silent at that, knowing she didn't have an answer but there was just...something about the entire thing bothering her. The fact that there was a contract out there, that Gold had made that actually could have been used as leverage over him? She was curious. The fact that it was something important enough that Piper was willing to allow Hades to use her as 'bait,' as far as he knew, just to destroy? She wanted to know what it was that had the Dark One's partner nearly ready to attack a god.
~8~
Gold kept the smirk off his face as he entered the pawnshop to see Pan waiting for him, "Where have you been?" the boy demanded, "We're running out of time!"
"Still can't bring yourself to trust little Rumple, can you, Papa?" Gold taunted.
"You always were a touchy boy," Pan remarked, glancing out the door when another rumbling sounded, "I take it that means it's not going to be open much longer."
Gold hummed absently, glancing down at the heart he had in a pouch in his hand, before turning to glance at the door.
"Shall we?" Pan stepped over to him.
"Not quite yet," he shook his head, "Timing is everything. Have patience, Papa."
It wasn't patience for his father though, not even really about timing. He was waiting for Piper to return, he knew she would want to see this, see him finally get rid of the threat that was his father. As soon as she was there, he'd do it and if she didn't appear within the hour, he'd go find her himself.
~8~
Piper looked over at the elevator first, hearing it coming up only a moment sooner than the others but they all hurried over to it, waiting at the doors as they opened to reveal just Emma, looking visibly upset, with no Hook.
"Mom?" Henry frowned, seeing tears in her eyes as he hurried forward to hug her.
"What happened?" Piper stepped up, a hand on Emma's arm in comfort.
"Where's Hook?" Regina asked.
Emma took a deep breath, "I'll explain later," she looked at them, "We have to hurry to get to the thing."
"We can't. The Blind Witch cast a spell trapping us here."
"Let me guess, she got it from Hades?"
"Appear so," Piper nodded.
"This whole thing has been a setup to keep us trapped in the Underworld," Emma realized.
"The ambrosia…" Henry began.
"It wasn't there."
"So, Hook...he...he can't leave?"
"He can move on," Emma stated, taking a small comfort in the knowledge he wouldn't be trapped there, "But he wanted to make sure that we all got out even if he couldn't."
"Well, then," Regina straightened, "Let's give him his wish."
"Yeah," Emma agreed, stepping beside Regina, the two of them conjuring their magic, the combination of it enough to blast the doors of the library open, shattering the spell keeping them in.
"You did it!" Henry cheered.
"We should go," Robin said, "It's getting late."
Emma nodded, "Let's get out of here."
Henry moved to grab his backpack, pausing as he picked up the storybook he'd been filling with stories since they'd been there, all complete, before setting it down again, "People will find them," he said, nodding to himself that his work would help people move on and find hope.
"Come on, Henry," Piper called and he hurried over to her side as they stepped out, "You head for the portal," she told the others, "I will collect Rummy and meet you there."
"Aunt P…" Emma hesitated, fearful they'd miss their chance to escape.
"We shall be fine, Emma," she promised her, "Go."
Emma sighed but nodded, taking Henry's hand and hurrying away.
~8~
Gold looked over when the door to the shop jingled, to see Piper entering. He smirked as he saw her, "Pip."
"Rummy," she greeted, "It is nearly time."
He nodded, though it was Pan who spoke, "We should go. We don't want to miss our ticket home."
Gold glanced down at the pouch in his hand and reached in, pulling out a heart and turning to the boy, "Now...are you ready?"
Pan smirked, straightening as Gold approached, "Yes. Thank you, son."
Piper was sure any other hero that might have been there would have been frantic and trying to stop Gold from doing this, assuming the worst, that Pan would soon be back to full power and unstoppable...but she remained calm as she watched. Pan had not been a father to Gold in far too long, he didn't know his son, all the nuances of his face, all the different smirks he had.
SHE did.
And the one on his face now? It was the one he wore when revenge was about to be served.
"Pleasure's all mine, Papa," Gold said simply, and pushed the heart into Pan's chest.
He hadn't even pulled it out for a moment before Pan was nearly stumbling back in pain, hunching over and gripping at his chest as he panted, "Wait, something...wait, something's wrong…"
Gold merely stood, unmoved by the man's suffering, "Does it feel different than you remembered?"
Pan struggled to breathe, to speak, coughing as he tried to get air through the agony, "What's happening? What did you do?!"
Gold held out a hand to Piper as he moved over to her side, though he spoke to Pan, "That wasn't really Robin Hood's heart I put inside you. I knew you or your shadow could be watching. Whilst you were otherwise distracted, I returned Robin's heart to him."
"Clever," Piper smirked, which earned her a grin and a kiss to the hand he'd taken.
"What did you put in me?!" Pan demanded.
"A wine-skin I glamored, filled with water...from the River of Souls," Gold informed him.
"No!" Pan gasped, "Why?"
Gold turned to look at him, taking a long while to answer for it should have been obvious after what Pan had done not just to him but his family, Piper's family, "Villains don't get happy endings, Papa. And I'm here to make sure you never get yours."
They waited a few more moments, watching Pan struggle before he began to almost melt, parts of him turning into water and drifting away, now part of the Underworld.
"Goodbye, Papa," Gold spoke, "For good this time."
Piper sighed beside him, "As interesting a punishment as that was," she spoke, "I am rather cross I did not have opportunity to torment him for all the harms he caused you."
Gold chuckled, feeling that familiar thrum shoot through him at her easy acceptance of his darkness and actions, her desire to seek revenge on his behalf, her care for him, "I'll make it up to you, Pip, as soon as we get back to Storybrooke."
With that he waved his hand, magically transporting them to the cemetery, to the portal though they did not go through, waiting for the others for they did not see them on the other side of it. They did not need to wait long, for Emma, Henry, Regina, and Robin came running towards them only a minute later, clearly not having thought to just teleport there themselves. It was a near thing, for the portal was flickering and growing smaller with each passing second.
"The portal, it's closing!" Emma shouted, urging the others on, "Henry! Hurry! Hurry! Go!" she pushed Henry through, Regina and Robin close behind…but Emma hesitated.
"Emma," Piper reached out to her, taking her hand.
But Emma cut her off, "When I bought this jacket," she tugged at her red leather jacket, "It was meant to be armor to protect me from getting hurt by those I love. But now it's just a reminder that I have to protect those I love," her voice cracked, "Nothing's more important."
Piper sighed, "As much as it pains me to say…I think he shall find a way back to you."
Emma sniffled, latching onto any hope she could, because if it came from PIPER, then the woman had to have a reason for it, "Yeah?"
Piper took a breath, "You are a hero, and heroes never have their happy ending taken from them for long."
"We need to go," Gold spoke, his hand on Piper's back as the portal got fainter and fainter.
Emma swallowed hard but nodded, squeezing Piper's hand and walking to the portal with her, the three of them disappearing through it moments before it closed.
A/N: I feel like an alternative title to this episode could have been 'Never Play a Player' because of all the one upping that went on lol :)
I know Gold and Piper haven't burned the Underworld to the ground yet, but just because they left the Underworld doesn't mean they aren't still VERY keen to destroy everything Hades built before destroying Hades himself }:) We still have 5 more chapters left (holy cow only FIVE O.O oh boy...) to see what shenanigans they can get into ;)
I hope that bringing up Fendrake here, moments before the contract was ripped up didn't feel like a copout or anything. Gold, in coming up with the plan to fool Hades, was very careful that the situation make the man desperate. He would either genuinely care about Zelena and be desperate to save her, or he'd need Zelena to believe he loved her and be desperate to 'prove' it to her by saving her. And he was, Hades used the contract with Fendrake as a way to force Piper's hand into helping him. He's not thinking long-term, as Piper considers was a mistake, because he wants Zelena free NOW and he knows the only way to do it is to get Piper as leverage...but he also can't hurt her or force her because then Gold could do anything to Zelena as fair game :/ So he goes right for the leverage he has at the ready, the contract.
He knows Piper wants to keep the pregnancy secret, as seen by how she won't let him answer who Fendrake is and that her stomach appears flat thanks to magic. He knows that he can get her agreement by waving the contract in front of her and almost letting slip what it's about. So that's the only advantage he has to getting her agreement and cooperation.
He just has no idea that it's all a trap anyway and he's just given away a MASSIVE advantage against them. He's cocky. He thinks his plan to keep them in the Underworld will work so it's not like they could escape anyway, not without his magic there to help open a portal. He's seriously overestimated his cleverness and underestimated the way Piper and Gold, contrary to the heroes and villains-turned-heroes CAN actually think like a villain and guess his plan and double crossing :)
I felt that, it didn't really matter when the contract was brought to light. In the show Gold has it hanging over his head and it gets destroyed in the end anyway. So here, with Piper around and with her being so different than Belle, if Hades made either one of them aware of the contract before the bitter end, they'd focus exclusively on destroying it (and him) and fighting him tooth and nail and he'd rather avoid that annoyance ;) If it didn't really make much difference in the show that Hades had it when he destroyed it anyway, I figured he'd be more likely to use it as quick leverage and a bargaining chip when it REALLY mattered to him than just have it hang over them. Imagine how much more angry and out for blood Piper would be if she knew about the contract from where Gold did in the show? O.O Hades would have many more problems and distractions and he could do without that lol ;)
Some notes on reviews...
Lol, I'm glad you like the Rose-with-a-dash-of-Siren chapters :) I feel like those with Snow there are a little bittersweet, because she sees Rose threatening people and to her it's JUST that, her cousin being rash and speaking before she thinks. And she has no idea that Rose actually means it and would be fully willing to follow through if it meant protecting Snow. So she goes 'you have to stop threatening people' like it's just an exasperation and not a real and actual threat. Even then she sort of couldn't see or didn't want to see the real Siren coming out in her :( But as for the AU. If all goes to plan and I can stick to the updating I have in mind, I'll likely finish Piper's story next year, and then I will either start the AU after in 2023 or I might post the first story of the Graham/OC then to get a new series going and do Piper's AU in 2024. I'm sort of up in the air about it, so many AUs so little time lol. Leaning more towards 2023 at the moment, but I can at least say for sure that it will NOT be up next year ;) I'm glad you're excited for it! :)
Very true, you would think Hook would remember that TLK doesn't always work :/ Lol, loved all of it, especially the part with Gold being upset he wasn't the one to kill James, he hasn't had a chance to find out just yet, but he will at one point and his reaction will be quite sweet in a 'darkish' way that makes the heroes just go 'I really don't get 'villains.'' :) The irony I find in Disney and OUAT's portrayal of love is that the actress who played Snow White here was also in the movie 'He's just not that into you' and she's basically the same person who falls in love too fast because she feels a 'spark' with people and has to slowly learn that love needs to grow and can take time. I feel like she and Snow could swap places and it would be the same person lol :) I hear you there, I'm more of a teal sort of person in terms of what I like to wear (though purple is my favorite color) and my hair's usually in a braid or ponytail. I only wear my high school ring (mostly because it was a gift from my parents and WAY more expensive than I would have wanted but they splurged because I really worked hard in school) and a $5 necklace I got before college that was supposed to bring luck with making friendships and connections. Sometimes I wear a knockoff version of Tauriel's necklace from the Hobbit though when I have to 'dress up' for things :) Super simple :) I'm the quiet one too, so any parties or gatherings I get dragged into end up with me sitting next to my parents, eating, not really interacting, having awkward conversations where I basically give one word answers because I'm not comfortable in many social situations with strangers :/ It's even worse when there's music and people dancing, because I don't and everyone around me feels like I should, otherwise they feel bad for leaving me alone at the table (when I'm 100 percent ok with that), and they try to drag me onto the floor and I pretty much fight the entire way there till they let go and I can go sit back down lol. I didn't even dance at my own brother's wedding, to give an idea :/ The only exception is if it's a choreographed dance, like the Macarena or something. I'm also the one in my family where, on rare occasions when my dad and brother would get the urge to take the family to a NASCAR race, I'd be the one with my iPod playing full blast with big muffling earphones over it, reading a book, with an umbrella over me so I don't get sunburned and only looking up when there's a crash. So I completely get that lol ;)