Emma, Mary Margaret, David, Henry, Regina, Madelyn, Jack, and Robin were back in the Blanchard apartment, examining the damage left behind by Cerberus. Regina was holding an arrow. "Found more arrows."
Robin sighed and walked down the stairs. "You do not want to see what that hell dog did upstairs."
Emma looked at all of them. "So, we think we're ready?"
"I would think so." Madelyn replied to her.
Just then, Gold entered the apartment and looked at the group. "What are you doing?"
"We're gonna get Hook." David replied to him. "What's it look like?"
"We know Hades will have him in some sort of isolation. Meg told us there's an entrance nearby." Emma added.
"So all 45 of you are gonna slip down into the deepest level of detention in the Underworld." Gold looked at them in disbelieve. "Hades knows you're here. He'll have put up barriers to keep the living out of all the places he doesn't want us going. You walk into his domain, you'll all be puffs of dust."
"So we get a new plan." Emma comment, looking at him.
"Correct. Seven of you occupy yourselves as you will. Perhaps cleaning?" Gold looked at the others as then he turned to Emma. "You and I will go in with the assistance of a helpful dead person. I can extend their aura, if you will, so that two living souls can get through Hades' barrier."
"Wait a minute." Emma looked at him in disbelieve. "Yesterday, you hid in your shop. Today, you're gonna lead the charge to find a man that you hate?"
Gold looked at her. "Yeah, because I realized that if don't step in, we are never gonna get home, and I want very much to get home to my wife, my daughter and my unborn child."
"Okay." Emma nodded. "So how do we get a helpful dead person to loan their aura so we can confront the god of the Underworld himself?"
"You leave that to me." Gold replied to her. "I've got someone in mind. Someone I've known a long time."
"Oi, what about us?" Jack asked to him, pointing at himself and Madelyn. "We are dead also."
"What my husband said." Madelyn added.
"Yeah, I have noticed, but I also know that you two aren't telling us something." Gold replied to them and with that he walked out of the apartment.
-0-
Not much later, Madelyn followed Gold as he went to find a dead person. Then she saw that he arrived by an side road, in the middle of Storybrooke as he looked for a person and his eyes fell on a woman, Madelyn knows that woman. She had met her once, Milah. Milah was getting ready to help kids cross the road, when her eyes land on Gold, who was standing on the sidewalk waiting for her, but she doesn't look happy to see him. Gold waved at her. "Morning, Dearie." Milah didn't say anything as she stepped onto the road, allowing for the children to cross safely. Gold walked over to her. "Don't worry, I'm not dead. Just visiting."
Once the kids have crossed, she stops in front of him. "How'd you find me?"
"You are standing in the middle of Main Street, so, you know... I must say, I do love the irony of your job." Gold looked at her. "You watching children, keeping them safe, keeping them close."
Milah rolled with her eyes. "What do you want?"
"I have an opportunity for you." Gold replied to her. "A romantic adventure to save the man you once loved."
Milah had her eyes widen. "You?"
Gold sighed. "I'm talking about Killian Jones."
"Killian... is here?" Milah asked surprised.
"He's receiving some, uh, special attention from Hades." Gold replied to her, casually. "I need to retrieve him."
"I'm supposed to watch the kids." Milah told him.
Gold shrugged. "Well, they're dead anyway. It's quite simple, really. Can you stand helping me if it lets you save him?"
-0-
Milah and Mr Gold were standing together on the street, watching Emma from a distance. What they still didn't know was that they were watched by Madelyn still. Milah was looking at Emma in shock and surprise. "Her?"
"Yes, her." Gold replied to her. "Come. Let me introduce you." Guided Milah towards Emma. "Miss Swan?" Got Emma's attention as then he and Milah stop in front of Emma. "There's someone I'd like you to meet. This is Milah, my ex-wife. And Hook's ex, also. She's also Baelfire's mother, of course." Then he glanced at Milah. "Emma knew him as Neal. They had a torrid affair, which resulted in a scandalous teenage pregnancy. In prison."
Emma was uncomfortable. "Yeah, well..."
Milah was shocked and stunned. "So, you've been with my former lover... and my son? Is that right?"
Emma looked also stunned. "Huh."
"I'm sure we're gonna laugh ourselves sick about all this one day." Gold suggested. "I suggest you follow me before this gets even more awkward."
-0-
Madelyn was still following them as they went to Emma's house, until she was noticed by Gold and not by the others. "Stop." He called to the others. "There is someone following us."
"Who?" Emma asked to him.
"Me." Madelyn replied, coming into view of all of them.
"Why are you following us?" Gold asked to her.
"Why are you suspicions of me?" Madelyn asked back.
"That is for a good reason." Gold replied to her.
Madelyn looked at him. "And what is that reason?" Gold stayed quiet. "So, you don't have a reason, just speculations." She sighed. "Let me tell you something, Jack and I are protected by Calypso."
"So that's you secret?" Emma asked in disbelieve.
"Yes, nothing more." Madelyn sighed. "Nothing suspicions about it."
"Then why do you have the pearl?" Milah spoke up.
"Also Calypso." Madelyn replied to her quickly, it went noticed by Gold and Emma, they weren't fouls.
"You know each other?" Gold asked to them.
"Briefly met." Madelyn replied first.
"When I came here first, I was greeted by her." Milah added.
Emma looked at Madelyn. "How long are you dead?" She asked.
"I was born in 1706, dead in 1775." Madelyn replied to her. "My husband dead a few months earlier and do the math yourself."
"You are dead for 240 years." Emma had her eyes widen.
"Aye." Madelyn nodded, smiling softly. "Time flies, when you are dead."
Just then, they walked further to Emma house, where the entrance to hell's underground was located, their previous conversation, forgotten for now. "The way in is here? So, what, the gates of hell are in my house?" Emma asked as they walked into the house.
"As was the stone of Excalibur. The pirate has a knack for targeting real estate with hidden value." Gold replied to her as they walked further into the house and it was abandoned. A baby cradle was one of the rooms, with a stuffed toy bear and tiger underneath.
Emma sighed heavily. "Basement door?"
Gold nodded. "Basement door." He confirmed it.
Emma walked up to the door and unlocked it. Then, she attempted to put her hand in, but was repelled by magic and turned back to face Milah, Madelyn and Gold. "It's a barrier, all right. So what is she going to do or Madelyn?"
"Joining hands will be fine." Gold replied to her.
"You go joining hands with Milah, Emma." Madelyn told her. "I do Gold."
"Why me?" Gold asked as Emma and Milah went through already.
"Cause if you don't, I will tell your little secret to Hades and we won't want that do we." Madelyn threatened him.
"And what secret is that?" Gold wasn't afraid of her.
"A second child." Madelyn replied to him. "And the man you killed is here."
Gold looked at her. "You wouldn't tell Hades."
"No, I wouldn't." Madelyn agreed. "But a little warning, he will figure it out as he does with everything." She sighed.
Gold nodded to her. "Okay." Then he held out his hand and Madelyn grabbed it as she got him past the barrier and into the tunnels of hell.
"It worked." Emma smiled.
"Indeed." Gold nodded. "One step closer to Hell."
Unknown to the four of them, as they descend deeper into the underground tunnels, the basement door closed.
-0-
Emma, Gold, Madelyn and Milah have made it into the tunnels and off the staircase. They were no longer holding hands, but just looking around). "The spell's gone." Gold told them. "We'll be able to pass through on our own now." Then he turned to look at Milah. "Thank you, Milah. You can run back to protecting the dead children."
"Hang on." Emma called as then she turned to Milah. "Milah... thank you so much. And... there's something you should know. Your son, Neal, Baelfire... when I was on my way down here on the River, I had sort of a vision of him. I think he talked to me."
"What did he say?" Milah asked to her.
"He said that he moved on." Emma replied to her. "And that he was happy. Whatever he had to resolve... he did it."
"Thank you." Milah nodded, tearing up. "Thank you so much."
Suddenly Emma comment to them all. "I hear water this way."
"That would be the River of Lost Souls." Madelyn told them.
"We can take it to where Hades will have Killian." Milah added.
"I'm sorry, uh, "we" can take it?" Gold looked at them. "If you think you can get the pirate back, I doubt he's gonna swap the blonde for the dead woman."
"You might be dark, but sometimes you're still an idiot, Rumple." Milah looked at him as then she looked at Emma. "I have my reasons. Let me come with you."
"And I can protect you all from Hades." Madelyn comment. "If not me then Calypso will."
Emma nodded. "Okay."
-0-
Not much later, they were now in a boat and were heading to where Hook was. Emma was looking at the souls in the green water. "I hope this boat you found doesn't spring a leak." Emma comment.
"This boat is the best thing we could have hoped to find." Gold told her. "After we pick up the pirate, it will take us all the way home."
Emma stood up as the boat docked. "This is it. He's down there. I feel it." She got out of the boat and was holding Hook's ring.
Gold sat down. "I'm not leaving the boat. It's too valuable." He told her. "You're capable of getting the pirate on your own, I'm sure. And don't even think about using magic. Hades would notice anything this close to his home base."
"If he's not moving, I'm not, either." Milah comment to Emma. "If he tries to steal this thing, I'll give a shout."
"I will stay here too." Madelyn offered. "And I give shout if something happens."
Emma nodded, before running down a tunnel towards Hook. Milah sat back down in the boat opposite Gold and they eye one another. Madelyn rolled with her eyes. "This is even worse than to meet Jack's ex." She comment.
-0-
Milah, Madelyn and Gold were still in the boat waiting for Emma to return with Hook and Milah and Gold were managing a conversation. "So..." Milah started. "You're married now. That's real."
"Look, about your, uh, unfinished business..." Gold stated. "If it is love for the pirate, then it's definitely off the table."
Milah shook with her head. "My unfinished business was never Killian."
"Then why..." Gold was interrupted by Milah.
"It's Baelfire." She told him, quickly. "Our son. I should have been there for him. Not... punished him because I'd... grown to hate his father. I was selfish. I thought if I could... change that, do something generous... maybe I could finish what I need to."
Gold looked at her. "So you want to move on."
"Yeah." Milah nodded. "So I can... see him, and I can... say to him, Son, I'm... I'm sorry for... everything."
"He'll forgive you." Gold told her. "I betrayed him, as well. As a grown man, he re-entered my life, and he forgave me. He'll do the same for you."
"That's a nice thought." Milah had a small smile on her face. "It's just... I really want to see him again."
"You will." Gold smiled also. "And when you do... tell him hello from his papa."
"God, I don't wanna here anymore." Madelyn muttered.
-0-
Milah, Madelyn and Gold were now out of the boat and were standing back in the stone structure. Milah crouched down by the river and was watching the lost souls. "They should be back by now." Gold comment.
Milah seemed to ignore him. "They all look so lost."
Gold went to stand beside Milah. "Yes. Yes, they do."
"Indeed." Madelyn also looked at the lost souls.
Suddenly, Hades appeared and froze Milah, but he couldn't freeze Madelyn, cause she was protected by Calypso. Then, Gold pulled out his dagger and pointed it at Hades. Madelyn stood up and turned to look at him. "You." She sighed.
"Me." He comment to her as then he looked at Gold. "Get your hand off that squiggly little thing. I'm not here to fight."
"Ugh, must you interrupt everything." Madelyn scolded him.
"Yes." Hades hissed out the 's'.
"Fine." Madelyn rolled with her eyes.
"Why didn't you take my offer?" Hades asked as Gold watched them, he was now very suspicions indeed.
"And leave my husband alone in the underworld?" Madelyn looked at him in disbelieve.
Just then, Gold comment as he had still his dagger out. "Yeah, well, perhaps I am."
Hades looked at him. "Oh, even when I'm here to talk about a deal."
Gold looked interested. "A deal?"
"Let's chat." Hades comment.
"I will stay here." Madelyn called as the men disappeared.
-0-
Gold arrived back to where Milah was and unfroze her, she looked confused and suspicious, then she stood up. "What the hell?! Hades was just here. What's going on, Rumple?"
"Yeah, what's going on?" Madelyn added, looking at him.
Gold destroyed the boat. "Congratulations, Dearie. I've finally become the man you always wanted me to be. The one who takes what he needs."
Madelyn looked at him and he was not himself, he was stressed. Just then, Milah shouted. "Emma!"
Gold shouted also. "Milah!" Then, he used his magic to throw Milah into the river of lost souls.
"No!" Madelyn shouted and got Milah away just time as she was gone in a swirl of smoke. Madelyn helped her to move on and be with son.
Gold hadn't noticed that as he inhaled deeply and purposely injured himself when he heard footsteps. "Hades!" Emma and Hook came out of the tunnel to just see Gold. "Hades!" Then he turned to look at Hook and Emma. "I tried to stop him. He blew my magic right back at me. Milah... I couldn't stop it. She's gone."
"Aye." Madelyn nodded as she played along. "He's telling the truth."
"Milah." Emma comment.
"Milah was here? Milah?" Hook asked to them all.
"Aye." Madelyn nodded.
"She helped us get to you." Emma added.
Hook looked sad. "Hades has much to answer for."
"Indeed he does." Gold nodded.
-0-
Emma, Hook, Madelyn and Gold have arrived back safely and were waiting for the others to arrive. Emma was helping Hook to stand straight. Then, the door opened as the others entered in the house. "Killian!" Mary Margaret exclaimed.
Henry looked at Emma. "Good job, Mom."
Mary Margaret dotted over Hook. "Oh, look at you."
"I'll be all right." Hook told her.
David looked at Emma. "How did you do it?"
"Gold got us in." Emma replied to her father. "He got us help. He poofed us back here. He even had a boat to get us all back home. But it's gone."
Mary Margaret looked at them. "What happened?"
"Hades attacked. We lost the boat and... we lost a friend. I hear you took away my sacrifice." Hook told then as then he looked at Gold. "Everything I did to save my friends all went to give you back your power. I should kill you."
"Acknowledged." Gold comment.
"But... you helped get me out of there, so I should say..." Hook was interrupted by Gold.
"Thank you. No need." He told him.
"Stay of execution." Hook added. "We're even for now."
"I just wanted to get home." Gold looked at him. "And yes, you're welcome, Captain."
Robin looked at Gold. "Well, we're sorry you lost her."
"She made me who I am." Gold told him.
"Okay, we don't have a way out, but we didn't have one before anyway." Regina told them all. "My magic's working now. So let's do this heart split. That way, when we find an exit, we can get through it."
Hook looked at Emma in shock. "Heart split?"
"It's a good plan. It'll work. Trust me." Emma stepped forward, sighed and cleared her throat. "Do it."
Regina went to remove Emma's heart, but was repelled by magic. "Oh!"
Robin looked at them with eyes widen. "What was that?"
"Interesting." Gold comment to them.
"Aye." Madelyn nodded.
Just then, Jack came in with a bottle of rum. "Did it work? Can we have a party?"
"No." Madelyn replied to her husband.
"What the hell?" Regina exclaimed.
"What is this? Why didn't it work?" Emma added, looking in shock.
-0-
The entire group is at the cemetery. Hook and Emma were standing together, while Emma still supported him. They were looking at three gravestones which says: Emma Swan, Snow White and Regina Mills. "Hades told me to pick three names and chisel them onto the headstones." Hook explained it to them all. "He said whoever I picked would remain in the Underworld. I refused."
"Well, it looks like he did the picking himself." Regina comment to them.
"Aye." Madelyn comment.
"What does this mean?" Emma asked to them all.
"It means we're stuck here, and now we can't use your heart to save Hook." Regina replied to her.
"Aye, that's very bad." Jack nodded.
"Aye." Madelyn nodded.
"Well..." Gold sighed. "I got the pirate out in a day. But you lots managed to find a whole new way to fail. I'll be in the shop." Then, he walked away.
-0-
Author's note: Sorry, still no Caitlynn, woops.