Author's Note: Hi everyone! I honestly can't believe it's been over a year since the last chapter. Big. Yikes. Anyway... I won't bother you with the details, but now now that its 2020 and pretty much the whole world is under quarantine due to COVID-19... I'm back to writing! I plan to keep on going too. I really missed it. Anywhoooo... I hope you enjoy the new post-hiatus chapter. =)
Chapter 26
Regina Mills stood at her stove, flipping over the chocolate chip pancakes she was making. She leaned over to check on the pan next to her. The bacon was cooking nicely too. She paused for a moment to admire the ring on her finger, the stardust in the black gem sparkling like tiny diamonds.
A quiet shuffling from behind her caused Regina to turn around, and she smiled when she saw Shae, the woman that she loved, her wife. "Good morning." She said with a smile.
Shae mumbled something incoherently, and plopped herself down in a chair at the table. Regina had quickly learned that mortal Shae was not a morning person. She chuckled softly, and set a cup of coffee down in front of Shae. She then placed a kiss on the top of her wife's head, and returned to the stove.
After a few moments, and a few careful sips of her coffee, Shae was finally able to manage speech. "Do I smell chocolate chip pancakes?" She asked.
"Mm-hmm." Regina said in reply. "And bacon. I've got a few omelettes in the oven too."
Shae chuckled quietly. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're trying to fatten me up."
Regina chuckled herself as she sauntered over to Shae. She slid into her lap, running her fingers through her lover's messy black hair as she tilted her head back. "I suppose I'll have to find some way to… Work it all off of you."
Shae hummed happily against Regina's lips as she kissed her. "You'll have to get awfully creative." She murmured.
"Has that ever been a problem?" Regina asked, eyebrow raised.
Shae shook her head, and breathed out a wistful sigh. "The things you can do with a bit of rope and a riding crop…"
Regina laughed, placing another kiss on Shae's lips. "Come on." She said, brushing a stray lock of hair off of Shae's forehead. "Breakfast is almost ready. Why don't you go wake up Henry and the girls?"
Shae nodded, kissing her wife's lips one more time. "They should be up quick once I tell them you made their favorite."
As requested, Shae made her way upstairs to wake the children, and Regina returned to her cooking. Just as she was setting the table, she heard footsteps pounding down the stairs. Two little girls with black hair and olive toned skin burst into the kitchen, grinning from ear to ear.
"Pancakes day?" One of them asked.
"Pancakes day." Regina confirmed with a smile.
The two girls grinned at each other, and practically sprinted to the stove. As Regina began to pile food on their plates, her son, Henry, shuffled into the kitchen. He was a teenager now, and, like Shae, not much of a fan of mornings. He remained mostly silent and groggy as Regina made up his plate as well.
Shae was a few steps behind Henry, and, once they all had a full plate of food, they sat down and dug in. Regina glanced around the table, at her girls, her son, her wife. They all had smiles on their faces as they chatted and ate. Regina was smiling too, her heart full to bursting. She couldn't remember a time when she had been so happy, so content with her life.
With three growing children in the house, breakfast was quickly demolished. Afterwards, Shae got Henry and the girls ready for school, while Regina cleaned up the kitchen. Once everyone was safely on the bus with their backpacks and lunches, Shae and Regina were finally alone.
Regina was scrubbing the last of the dishes, and she smiled when she felt Shae's hands on her hips. She grinned as Shae pulled her against her body. She began to press gentle kisses up and down her neck, and Regina was forced to abandon the dishes. Shae's lips were much too distracting.
"Keep this up, and I just might have to do something about it." She muttered as she leaned back.
Shae gently nibbled on her lover's earlobe, sending shivers throughout Regina's body. "Why don't you?" She whispered softly.
Regina spun around, and grabbed onto the front of Shae's t-shirt. She jerked her forward, placing a deep, passionate kiss on her lips. Regina sighed as Shae's lips parted against her own, as her tongue brushed lightly against her own. The two lovers stood there like that for a long while, slowly and gently enjoying each other's lips in the calm and quiet of the morning.
"Mmm… Shae, I love you." Regina whispered.
She leaned back in toward Shae's lips, slipping her hands beneath her shirt. She stopped suddenly when she did not get an, "I love you too," like always. Her brow furrowed in confusion, and she slowly opened her eyes. She gasped, her jaw dropping open in horror.
"No…" She whispered.
Regina stared into her lover's eyes, eyes that were now completely black. "You have to help me, Regina." Shae whispered to her. "I don't want to be this."
Regina continued to stare silently into her lover's black, hollow eyes, her whole body beginning to tremble. She glanced down at her own two hands. They shook violently as she turned them over, and she cried out in horror when she saw that they were dripping with blood.
The kitchen surrounding them suddenly disappeared. They were in the forest now, the wishing well standing a few feet away. Regina glanced up from her hands, and choked out a strangled sob when she saw the sword Excalibur buried in her lover's chest.
Shae's black eyes faded away, and she slowly began to fall backwards. Regina caught her in her quaking limbs, and sank down onto the forest floor. She could feel Shae's blood soaking into her clothes.
"Just… Let me go." Shae rasped.
"No… No, no, no… NO!"
Regina watched in horror as Shae's eyes fluttered closed, and she felt the last breath leave her body. She curled her arms around Shae, holding her close, as close as she could. She sobbed bitterly as she kissed her lover's lips. Shae was gone again, lost again. She couldn't bear it, her heart couldn't bear it, not again. She turned her face up to the stars, opened her mouth, and screamed.
X-X-X
"Mom… Mom, can you hear me? MOM!"
Regina snapped awake, sitting bolt upright. Her chest heaved, her heart pounded, she could barely breathe. She saw faces all around her. She saw her son first, his other mother, Emma, by his side. Emma's parents were close by, as was Robin, and Mr. Gold. Regina slowly turned her head, and found Remus staring at her too, looking worried.
A few silent moments went by, and Regina finally began to regain her senses. She was sitting in the back of a small wooden boat, crammed into it with all the others like a sardine. The boat was taking them to The Underworld, where they hoped to find Shae, as well as Hook.
"Regina…" Remus spoke from beside her. "Was it the nightmare again?"
Regina drew in a shaky breath, hastily wiping away the tears that had leaked onto her cheeks. "Yes." She whispered. When she noticed the concern on her son's face, she reached out and gently squeezed his hand. "But… It's alright, Henry. I'm ok."
"Good. We're here."
They all turned their heads toward Gold. He was posted at the front of the boat, his back toward Regina and the others. He pointed a finger out toward the nearby shore, a shore that was blanketed in fog.
"Whatever is going on inside that head of yours, Your Majesty, I suggest you bottle it up." He spoke quietly, his tone grim. "We're about to plunge head first into The Underworld. Every single one of us needs to stay sharp. It's a nasty, desolate place."
Regina drew in a deep, steadying breath, and nodded. She watched as silently as all the others as their boat broke through the fog. She clutched at the necklace she now wore around her neck. It was the snowflake shaped pendant that Elsa had given to Shae. Now attached to the chain beside it, was Shae's ring, the one that she had once placed on Regina's finger.
"I will find you, Shae." Regina whispered. "I will always find you."
XX
Deep in the bowels of The Underworld, in The Lord of Death's inner sanctum itself, a battered and broken soul was bound in chains. Her arms were strung up over her head, the shackles on her wrists the only thing keeping her body upright.
"Now, lets try this one more time." Hades said as he stood before her. "How did you and your little friend escape my realm?"
Shae Cormac peered through swollen, bloodshot eyes, coughing up another wad of blood. "I told you…" She rasped. "I don't… Remember…"
The crack of a whip broke through the quiet ebb and flow of the river Acheron, which surrounded the sanctum. A split second later, Shae's screams cut through the air as the whip cut across her cheek. Her entire body convulsed as she spat out more blood.
Hades took a step forward, and Shae grunted as he seized her by her hair. He jerked her head up, so he could better glare into her eyes. "Now, why don't I believe you?" He snarled.
Shae drew in a deep, shuddering breath. She found that it wasn't quite as satisfying as it should be. Just like when she was a vampire, her lungs didn't fill properly. She was dead.
"I… Don't know." She replied, her voice weak, barely above a whisper. "But it's the truth. Do whatever you want to me. It won't change anything."
Hades scoffed, roughly releasing Shae's hair. "You know, I expected more of a fight from a famous warrior such as yourself."
Shae breathed out a sour laugh, coughing and sputtering as more blood leaked out of the corners of her lips. "And what exactly do I have left to fight for?" She asked. She glared back at the Lord of Death as best she could through her swollen eyes. "My friends, the people I care about… Regina." Saying her name caused the breath to catch in Shae's throat. "They're all… Up there, where they belong. And I'm right where I belong. I deserve all of this, every bit."
Hades rolled his eyes, scoffing once more. "Always so morose, you dead people." He replied, fiddling with the whip in his hands. "No fight, no hope." He paused for a moment, his lips curling into a twisted grin. "Just how I like them."
Shae howled in pain as Hades cracked his whip across her face once more. "Noone escapes my realm, dead or alive." Snarled The God of the Dead. "So, I'll ask you one more time… How the hell did you do it?"
"I DON'T REMEMBER!" Shae screamed at him.
For a moment, Hades stood in silence, staring at Shae's blood smeared face. He then raised his hand, and Shae gasped as blue flames erupted beneath her feet. She could feel the heat already burning through her boots.
"No, no, no…" Hades muttered, a devious chuckle escaping his lips. "That just won't do, my friend. That won't do at all."
Shae stared down at the flames at her feet. She could feel them crawling between her toes, snaking their way up her legs. The sickly sweet smell of burning flesh, her own burning flesh, assaulted her broken nose. She threw back her head, opened her mouth, and screamed.
XX
Upon arriving in The Underworld, Regina and the others were all shocked to find that it looked exactly like Storybrooke, except much more decrepit and hopeless. They saw Cruella's car go racing by, found that the Underworld's version of Granny's Diner was being run by The Blind Witch, and Mary Margaret even had a brief encounter with James, David's twin brother. Regina also had her own encounter with a lost relative; Her mother.
Cora immediately begged Regina to leave, told her that The Underworld was dangerous, and that it was no place for her, or for her son. She told her daughter that, in an hour, another boat would arrive, one that she could take back to Storybrooke. Cora pleaded with her daughter to take the boat, and take Henry with her.
Heartsick and filled with fury over Shae's loss, Regina had little patience for her mother. She refused her offer, to which Cora countered with a sinister threat; If Regina didn't leave by the time the hour was up, she would be forced to send Henry Senior, Regina's father, to a place of judgement.
It was a place deep in the bowels of The Underworld, where a person could either move on to someplace better, or someplace far worse. Cora said that if Regina didn't leave, she would send Henry Senior into the flames, where he would be lost forever. Cora's threat spun around in Regina's mind as she stood beside Emma and the others, staring at the gravestone that read, "Killian Jones."
Not long after Shae sacrificed herself to rid the world of The Hollow, Captain Hook had made his own sacrifice. He momentarily became himself again, and begged Emma to stop him, to stop the darkness. After watching Shae take her own life, Emma knew what had to be done. She took up Excalibur one last time, and plunged it into her lover's heart.
The very next day, desperate for a way to save the man that she had fallen in love with, Emma got the idea to summon the ferry to The Underworld using Gold's blood. She shared her idea with both Regina and Remus, who were just as devastated as she was. The two of them barely spoke to anyone, but when Emma announced her plan, they sprang into action, eager to save the woman that they both loved so very dearly.
Finding two lost souls in the sinister and desolate version of Storybrooke proved to be no simple task. After several hours of hopelessly wandering the town, encountering old friends and enemies, Gold finally stepped forward with a solution; The Ale of Seonaidh, from the land of DunBroch. He explained that the enchanted ale allowed communication with the deceased.
With the ale in hand, the group set out into the cemetery, where every soul in The Underworld had a grave. Once they found Hook's, Emma used the ale to attempt to communicate with him. Unfortunately, all they saw was a flashing, tortured image of the pirate. He was bloody and bruised, and hadn't seemed to hear them at all. The gruesome sight left them all devastated, but none more so than Regina. She knew, deep down, that whatever kind of torture Hook was facing, Shae was bound to met with the same fate, or worse.
"Here." Regina commanded, holding out her hand. "Give it to me."
Emma bit her lip, staring down at the vial that was in her hand, The Ale of Seonaidh. "Are you sure you want to do this?" She asked, wiping at her pale, tear-stained face. "Even after what we just saw?"
Regina drew in a deep, shaky breath, and nodded her head. Emma nodded back, and handed the vial over. Regina glanced at Remus, who gave her a swift nod as well. Regina then stepped up to the grave standing right next to Hook's, the one that read, "Shae Cormac."
With trembling hands, Regina poured a small trickle of the ale onto the grass in front of Shae's head stone. They all stood waiting for a long, silent moment, all of them holding their breath. Suddenly, they all gasped, and Regina leapt back.
"SHAE!"
Shae was now standing before them, and Regina's heart sank as her image flickered in and out of view, just like Hook's. Her eyes grew wide with horror, and her heart nearly stopped as she looked upon the woman she loved. Shae's hands were strung up over her head, held there by something none of them could see. Both of her eyes were swollen and bruised, her face covered in blood. Her clothes were tattered, torn, and burnt, just like Hook's. There were dozens of bloody gashes covering her body, gashes that looked like they had been made by a whip.
"Shae!" Regina frantically exclaimed. "Shae, it's me, it's Regina! Can you hear me?"
Shae's bloody image continued to shift in and out of focus. Mary Margaret and David both shielded Henry, their grandson, from the awful sight. "I don't think she can hear you, Regina." Mary Margaret muttered sadly. "It's just like with Hook… The spells not stable."
"Shae, listen! We've come to save you!" Regina continued to shout, her own eyes beginning to stream with tears. "But… B-But we can't find you! Please, tell us where you are!"
"AAAHH!"
Shae suddenly flinched as if she had been struck. She threw back her head, and let out a terrible, agonized scream. They all watched in horror as her body convulsed violently, her screams echoing around the rows and rows of headstones.
"NO!" Regina shrieked. She rushed forward, her instincts driving her to go to the woman that she loved. But as she reached out to touch Shae, her hand went right through her. "No, no, no… Shae? SHAE!"
Shae's convulsing stopped, and her body hung limply from whatever invisible chains that were holding her arms up. Regina continued to stare at her face, her face that was covered in blood. She stared at those lips that she loved so very much, and suddenly realized that they were moving.
"Wait…" Emma muttered as she noticed the very thing Regina had. "She's… Saying something, I think."
Regina nodded in agreement, and leaned in closer. Shae was indeed mumbling something. However, the words she was speaking were in another language, one that Regina recognized, but didn't understand. Shae was chanting something over and over again, in elvish.
"Remus…" She whispered as she turned toward him. "She's speaking elvish. Do you know what she's saying?"
Something about the expression on Remus' face caused all their hearts to sink. "She's praying." Was all he said.
"Praying?" Asked David, brow furrowed in confusion. "To who?"
"The gods. The old gods. Our gods." Remus replied. He closed his eyes, turning his head toward the sound of Shae's voice. "'Odin, All-father, far-wanderer, grant me wisdom, courage, and victory. Grant me knowledge on my path.'" He spoke quietly, echoing Shae's whispered words. "'Thor, grant me your strength and courage on my way. Tyr, grant me luck and watch over my fight.'" He paused for a moment, listening quietly. Then, he breathed out a heavy sigh. "Frigg, Freyr, Freya, even Loki… She's praying to all of them."
Regina slowly shook her head, more tears spilling down her cheeks as she continued to stare at Shae's tortured image. "I… I've never heard her pray before." She whispered. "Not once."
Remus sighed again, shaking his head as well. "Neither have I, not in a long, long time." He muttered. "She abandoned the gods long ago, cursed them, even. As did I. She must be… Truly desperate."
A solemn silence fell over the group from Storybrooke. Not a single one of them knew what to even say. Suddenly, Shae's image began to flicker in and out of sight more violently. Regina slowly stepped forward, reaching out her hand toward her lover's face. In that instant, Shae was gone, and Regina collapsed on to her knees. She stared blankly at the spot where Shae had just been standing, silent tears flowing down her face.
"They… T-They don't know that we came for them." Emma muttered quietly, more tears of her own streaming out of her eyes. "T-They… They don't know we're here, that we care."
Mary Margaret sighed, and wrapped her arm around her daughter's shoulders. "Of course they do, Emma." She muttered soothingly.
"Don't worry, we'll find them." Said David, gently rubbing Emma's arm. "Don't lose hope now."
"Oh, ENOUGH!" Remus suddenly shouted. They all turned toward him, and found his own eyes filled with tears, with pain. "I've had just about enough of you people and all your speeches about hope! Did you not just see her, or the pirate? They're in pain! They're suffering!" Remus's hand trembled as he pointed a finger at David and Mary Margaret, frightened tears trickling down his cheeks. "This is not a place for hope, this is a place for nothing but death and decay. And Shae's trapped here, and Hook, and… A-And… Just…"
Remus stammered into silence, and breathed out an enraged snarl. He then turned on his heel, and stomped away from them through the rows upon rows of graves. Regina watched him go for a moment, then turned her gaze back onto Shae's headstone. She then drew in a deep, steadying breath, and pushed herself up onto her feet.
"So…" She muttered, wiping at the tears on her face. "What do we do now?"
"Well, if Cora can arrange a way out of this place, then so can we." David said with a determined nod. "But not until after we find Shae and Hook."
"We're not giving up on you." Mary Margaret told her daughter with a smile, then glanced at Regina. "Either of you."
"I just… I don't know what to do about my mother." Regina muttered, slowly shaking her head. "If what she said is true, then whatever Shae and Hook are facing is going to look a lot like what my father is going to face."
"We'll find a way to save him too, Mom." Henry told his mother with a smile of his own. "It's what we do best."
"The boy is right." Said Robin, clapping his hand on Henry's shoulder. "None of us are going anywhere. We're not giving up, not until we find Hook, and find Shae."
XX
"Hail to you,
Bringer of mighty gifts,
Won by your own cunning.
Hail to you,
Trickster god who incites chaos,
To reveal the truth.
Hail to you,
Loki, The Destroyer,
Who through fire sparks rebirth."
Shae screamed in agony as her flesh sizzled and burned. It was a new day, which meant a new instrument of torture. Hades had placed a metal poker, the kind used to stoke a fireplace, over the blue flames he so loved to summon. He waited until the tip was red hot, then stuck it into Shae's chest.
Once Shae's body had stopped convulsing, Hades took a step back, emitting a deep, dark chuckle. "Your gods have no power here." He sneered in Shae's face. "The Aesir, The Vanir, they're all dead, have been for some time now. My brother and his pals in Olympus saw to that."
With pain wracking her body, Shae simply hung her head, dangling limply from her chains as she fell silent. "You know, I remember when your people first descended from Alfheim." Hades went on, pacing back and forth in front of Shae. "You were like a plague of locusts, destroying everything in your path, claiming it as your own. I wasn't bothered, of course. You all sent so many delightful souls my way. But, of course, my brother got all upset, and banished the elves from his realm. Where is it you ended up? Avalon?"
Shae took several deep, hollow breaths, turning her swollen eyes onto Hades. "The elves… Are not… My people." She snarled.
"Then why do you pray to their gods, hm?" Hades asked her with a grin. "Not that it matters, anyway. Like I said, they're all dead. You know, for being the god of thunder, Thor was actually quite a pushover. He fell just like the rest, swinging that little hammer of his."
The chains attached to Shae's wrists rattled as she attempted to stand up straight. But, the pain was too much. She groaned, coughing and sputtering, dangling limply from her bonds once again.
"Well, I can see there's no getting through to you today." Hades said with a shrug, tossing the poker aside. "It's back to your cell, then. There's a friend of yours that has, uh… Recently come into my possession, waiting for you there. I'll let the two of you spend some quality time together, before I torture you both some more tomorrow."
Hades stepped up to Shae, and seized her by her hair again, yanking her head back, sneering into her eyes. "Don't worry, I'll come collect you." He went on with a grin. "Bright and early."
Hades waved his hand, and Shae disappeared in a whirl of blue flames. She reappeared back in her cell, just as Hades promised, and she slowly sank down onto the floor. There were no bars on her cell, there were no bars on any of them. Everyone in Hades' dungeon knew what was lying in wait for them should they try to escape. Shae had learned that lesson the hard way not long after arriving in The Underworld.
Shae curled up in a ball on the floor of her cell, her whole body shivering, riddled with pain from the hours and hours of torture. Her thoughts strayed to Regina, the woman that she loved, just as they always did. She longed so desperately to be back at her side, to be warm and safe in her arms again. But it was too late for that. She was dead now, she had done the deed herself. Now, she was getting everything that she deserved. After all that she had done, all that was in store for her was an eternity of torment, and she knew that she deserved every agonizing second.
Tears began to leak out of her eyes as she thought about Regina again. Her deep, gorgeous brown eyes swam before her own, and she could still picture that smile that she loved so very much. She took some solace in the fact that Regina at least had Robin. She knew that he still loved her, and that he would take care of her. She only regretted the fact that she wasn't able to. All she had wanted was to have a quiet, peaceful life with the woman that she loved, the woman that she wanted to make her wife. But all that was over now. Regina was still alive, and far, far out of her reach.
"Who… W-Who's there?"
Shae's quiet sobbing seemed to have alerted another prisoner nearby. She grunted painfully as she pushed herself into a sitting position. She turned her head to the side, and peered through foggy vision at the figure of a man sitting on the floor of the cell across from her's. When her vision finally focused, when she realized exactly who this battered and broken man was, her eyes grew wide with shock.
"Hook?"
XX
After their brief and fruitless attempt to make contact with Hook and Shae, Regina and the others all went their separate ways. Mary Margaret stumbled upon a gravestone that belonged to an old friend of hers, who just so happened to be the famous Hercules. While Mary Margaret went in search of her friend the demi-god, Emma took her father, Robin, and Henry to search the woods for any sign of either Hook or Shae. Regina also went on a search of her own, to find Henry Senior, her father.
She managed to find his grave, and she used The Ale of Seonaidh to make contact with him. She was successful, and broke down into tears when she finally saw her beloved father again. Her joy quickly disappeared when her father confirmed her mother's sinister plot. However, Henry Sr. told her that she should stay. He wanted her to help her friends, and save the woman that she loved. He was proud to see the hero that Regina turned out to be, and told her if she stayed, if she managed to spread some hope, then he truly wouldn't have died in vain.
Before setting off to find a way to stop her mother, Regina went to collect Remus. She found him walking amongst the rows upon rows of headstones, staring intently at the names carved into each one. She could tell by the look on his face just who exactly he was looking for.
"Are you… Looking for your sister?" She asked of him.
Remus sighed, and slowly nodded his head. "It's a fruitless effort, I'm afraid." He muttered quietly. "There are just… So many graves. I don't even know where to start. Maybe she isn't even here, but… I had to… I hoped…"
Regina bit her lip as Remus trailed off into silence. "What can you tell me about her?" She asked with a small, sad smile. "Shae has told me a little, but not, honestly… Not much."
"Yes, I imagine that's true." Remus replied with a sad smile of his own. "Some things are just… Too painful to talk about."
Regina winced, clearing her throat awkwardly. "I'm sorry." She mumbled. "I… I-I didn't mean to-"
"No, it's alright." Remus interjected, smiling some more as he slowly shook his head.
Remus leaned back against the headstone behind him, and he grew quiet for a few moments. There was a slight frown on his face as he pondered how to answer Regina's question. Regina waited patiently, and Remus smiled another sad, wistful smile.
"My little dove. That's what I used to call her." He quietly replied. "Even though I was her older brother, she was always the one trying to look out for me, and Shae too. She was all that was good in this world. That doesn't mean that she was soft, though. Oh, no. She was so maddeningly stubborn, and always getting herself into trouble. She had a fire in her soul that sometimes threatened to burn everyone around her."
"She sounds like she was… Quite a woman." Commented Regina.
"That she was." Remus agreed, his green eyes glistening with tears. "And she loved Shae so fiercely. I think she always did. Things didn't become romantic between them until years later, but I think it was always there, from the moment they met."
"How exactly did you all meet?" Regina asked.
Remus chuckled lightly before he answered. "It was when we were children, back in the orphanage. There was a group of other orphans throwing stones at this dirty little black haired girl. They were making fun of her because she refused to wear a dress." Remus paused for a moment, laughing even more. "And, without even a second thought, little Nadia marched right up to those children, and started hitting them all with a stick."
Regina laughed herself, raising her eyebrows in surprise. "Really?"
"Really." Remus affirmed with a nod. "Once the tiny, brown haired terror scared everyone away, Nadia helped Shae up, and told her that it was ok that she was different, and that dresses are stupid anyway. In that moment, I don't think I'd ever been more proud of her." Remus cleared his throat, wiping away a stray tear that had leaked onto his cheek. "After that, the three of us became thick as thieves. We… Became a family. It was a tiny, mostly dysfunctional family, but a family nonetheless. And the rest is history, I suppose."
Regina bit her lip, staring down at her feet as she took in all that Remus had just told her. She knew how important Nadia had been to Shae, but she had no idea the extent of it all. From what Remus had just told her, it sounded like Nadia had been the first person that had ever shown Shae any kindness.
"It would be wonderful to see her again, to tell her how sorry I am." Remus spoke quietly from beside her. "But… I do still hope that she would be in a better place than this." After a slight pause, Remus cleared his throat again, and pushed away from the headstone he was leaning on. "Right, erm… I apologize for my outburst earlier. I am feeling… Better, now. Just please tell me there's something for us to do."
"Yes, actually, there is." Regina replied with a nod. "We still need to find Shae and Hook, obviously, but we also need to find a way to stop my mother."
"Excellent!" Remus exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "I do still have my own score to settle with dear Cora, as you know. Let's go show her what for, eh?"
Regina laughed as Remus threw his arm around her shoulders, and the two of them walked side by side back toward the town that Regina had coined, "Underbrooke." On their way through the graveyard, they passed by Hook and Shae's graves. The smile faded from Regina's face as she glanced at Shae's headstone, and her lips pursed into a firm, determined line. I will find you, Shae. I will save you. I swear it…
XX
Shae listened with a heavy heart as Hook told her all about how exactly he had ended up in The Underworld along with her. He too had lost his battle with his own darkness, and was now at the mercy of Hades. He looked just as battered and bruised as Shae herself was, his clothes tattered, torn, and burnt, his face covered in blood.
"Jesus…" Shae muttered, slowly shaking her head. "I'm… Really sorry, Hook."
Hook groaned as he shifted in his spot, wincing through the one eye that wasn't swollen shut. "Aye." Was all he said in reply.
They fell silent for a time, and Shae leaned her head back against the wall of her cell. She briefly closed her eyes, listening to the faint sound of agonized screaming in the distance. She opened them again when she heard the sound of shuffling from nearby. She watched as Hook pushed himself up onto his feet, and her eyes grew wide with alarm as he made to step out of his cell.
"Stop!" She shouted. "W-What are you doing?"
"What the bloody hell does it look like I'm doing?" Hook growled, wincing in pain once again. "If Hades is trying to keep us trapped in here, then he's doing a piss poor job."
"No, stop!" Shae exclaimed once again. "Hook, it's a trap!"
"She's right."
Hook and Shae both turned their heads toward the sound of a female voice. What Shae had thought was a pile of rags lying within another cell was actually a young girl, another prisoner in Hades' dungeon. She had been huddled against the corner of her cell, and she slowly turned herself around.
"Don't move." She warned Hook. "He wants you to think you can escape… But you can't. No one can."
Hook snorted loudly. "We'll see about that."
As Hook stepped a foot out of his cell, Shae opened her mouth to stop him, but the young girl dressed in rags spoke first. "Don't!" She shouted. "He'll hunt you down!"
"Hades has already done his worst to me." Hook growled, gesturing with his hook at his own battered and beaten body.
"I'm not talking about Hades." The young girl whispered.
Hook's brow furrowed in confusion. "Who, then?"
"Cerberus." Shae answered. "He's Hades' pet. A giant dog with three heads. Trust me, you don't want to run into him."
"She's right." The girl said once again. "Cerberus is powerful and vicious. He attacks anyone who tries to escape."
Hook snorted once again. "I'm not going to let some dog scare me, even if it does have three heads." He muttered quietly, then turned his gaze onto Shae. "Emma is here, she got me a message. And you know damn well that if she's here, then so is your Queen. They've come to save us, and we need to make their job easier."
Shae's jaw dropped open, and she shook her head in utter confusion. "What?" She exclaimed. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Hook grunted in pain, leaning heavily against the stone wall of his cell. "I saw her, right in front of me, clear as day." He whispered in reply. "She told me that she was looking for me, but that she didn't know where I was. I tried to tell her, but, Hades, he was-"
The rest of Hook's words were drowned out by the sudden ringing in Shae's ears. If what he said was true, and Emma really was in The Underworld, then it was certain that Regina was as well. Shae prayed to the gods, alive or dead, that she wasn't. She hoped and prayed that Regina had done what she asked, and just let her go.
"How do you know it's not one of Hades' tricks?"
Shae snapped back to reality when the young girl spoke again. "Because, when you love someone, you just know!" Hook shouted back at her. He once again turned his desperate gaze onto Shae. "You of all people should understand that."
Shae opened and closed her mouth several times, then squeezed her eyes shut, fighting against the tears that were threatening to leak onto her cheeks. "Even if that's true," She began in a whisper. "If Regina really is here… I… I-I don't deserve to be saved."
Hook's good eye grew wide with shock. "What?"
Shae emitted a feeble cough, slowly shaking her head. "You don't understand." She muttered, her voice quavering with emotion. "The Hollow, it… I-It stirred something in me, something that I never wanted to feel again."
Hook breathed out a sad, heavy sigh. "Darkness. Evil." He whispered in reply. "Aye, I felt it too. Emma was The Dark One for six weeks, she fought the darkness for six whole weeks. I plunged in head first after five minutes, all for revenge." He paused for a moment, and pointed a shaky finger at Shae, his face falling into a fierce scowl. "So don't you dare tell me that I DON'T BLOODY UNDERSTAND!"
Shae's heart ached with sorrow, and, for a moment, she didn't even know what to say. She squeezed her eyes shut again, and she, Hook, and the other prisoner sat in silence for a time. Shae opened her eyes at the sound of more quiet shuffling, and found Hook now standing before her, holding out his hand.
"Now, come on, on your feet." He commanded quietly. "Let's get out of this miserable place."
Shae shook her head some more, tears now spilling down onto her cheeks. "No." She groaned. "There's… T-There's no point."
"Dammit, Shae, this isn't you!" Hook shouted furiously. "The Shae I know would do anything to escape this place! She would do anything to see the woman that she loved again!"
"That Shae died, Hook!" Shae shouted back at him.
Hook crouched down in front of Shae, narrowing his good eye at her. "No." He snarled, pointing an accusing finger in her face. "That Shae is still in there. I've seen her overcome every obstacle before her, all for love. She even made it out of this place once before. She's the one I need right now, not… Whatever this sorry excuse is."
Shae narrowed her eyes right back at the pirate. "Go to hell." She spat.
"Already there, mate. Can't say that I care for it." Hook replied with a shrug. He then seized Shae by the back of her jacket, grunting as he hoisted her roughly to her feet. "Now, we're leaving. And that's final."
Shae groaned, wincing as her whole body ached. "You know, I've met other pirates before, and none of them were quite the stubborn asshole that you are."
Hook chuckled as he limped toward the other prisoner, the young girl. "I'll take that as a compliment." He replied. He then held out his hand to the girl. "Come on. If we're escaping, then so are you. We're the best chance you've got."
The young girl eyed Hook and Shae warily for a few moments, hesitantly biting her lip. She then reached out a trembling hand toward Hook's, and allowed him to pull her to her feet. Hook turned and nodded at Shae, who breathed out a relenting sigh, and nodded back.
Shae hobbled along after the other two, her heart hammering in her chest. She knew full well the consequences if their escape attempt failed. But, if Hook really was right, if Emma and Regina really were in The Underworld, she needed to find them, and fast. She needed to find them and tell them to go home, before Hades got his hands on them, before it was too late.
XX
Once she had collected a now much more calm Remus, Regina set out to stop her mother, as promised. She, with the help of Remus, as well as her son, finally managed to find Cora, but it was too late. They found her in a large cave with Henry Sr., where a cliff looked out over a sea of roaring flames. Cora sent Regina's father into those very flames, then disappeared. However, something miraculous happened, something that Cora hadn't counted on.
The flames below spat Henry Sr. right back out. His heart had been judged, and it had been judged to be good. A bridge appeared across the cavern of flames, which lead to a bright white light.
Before departing, Regina's father relayed a message to her, a message about Shae. "I was always so cold to her." He admitted sadly. "I couldn't see past her darkness, as I did with you. I didn't think she was good enough for you. But, Shae is your Protector, she always has been. I know now that you two are bound by forces that we mortals can never understand. You are bound by destiny, and those bound by destiny will always find each other, no matter what."
After that, Henry Sr. said goodbye to his daughter, as well as his grandson. Then, he crossed the bridge, into the warm, white light. He was finally in a better place. Though Regina was a bit disturbed about his cryptic words regarding the woman that she loved, the woman that she had come to save, she couldn't have been more grateful to know that her father was finally at peace.
The next day, Regina met up with Emma and David, who continued to search the woods for a sign of Hook or Shae. They didn't find either of them, but what they did find was a frightened young girl named Megara, another lost soul.
They were all disappointed that the trail they had followed had not led them to the ones that they were looking for, but Meg was able to provide them with some valuable information. She told them that she knew both Shae and Hook, and that they were the reason she had been able to escape Hades' dungeon, and the three headed hell hound who guarded it.
After narrowly escaping the Cerberus themselves, who was on the hunt for Meg, Emma teleported them all to The Underworld's version of her parents' apartment. Mary Margaret joined them soon after, announcing that she was unsuccessful in her attempt to find Hercules. She insisted that he needed to be found, that he was the only one that could defeat Cerberus. After racking their brains for several moments, Regina came up with an idea. Soon after, they all headed to Granny's Diner, to question The Blind Witch.
"Oh, I know Hercules." The Blind Witch said with a grin, her hazy white eyes staring off into the distance. "He comes in here on his lunch break every day. No matter how hard I try to fatten him up, his muscles are always bulging. It's a shame, really. He'd make a great Sunday roast."
Remus snorted loudly, and quickly attempted to pass it off as a cough when the others narrowed their eyes at him. "Lunch break from where?" Asked Mary Margaret, turning her attention back onto the witch.
"The docks." The witch replied. "He's probably there right now."
Mary Margaret nodded, then turned to the others. "Right, you guys wait here." She said with a determined nod. "I think I should go talk to Herc alone."
They all nodded back in agreement, and Mary Margaret gave her husband a quick peck on the cheek before racing out the door. "Any chance we could get some coffee while we wait?" Regina asked of The Blind Witch.
The witch replied by scooping up the nearby coffee pot, and dumping the contents straight into the sink. "Sorry." She said, her tone laden with sarcasm. "Fresh out."
Regina rolled her eyes, breathing out an irritated sigh. "I saw a coffee shop just down the street." She said to Remus and David, pointedly turning her back on the witch. "I'll go get us some."
"Just a black coffee for me." David said with a tired but grateful nod.
Remus scoffed, dramatically rolling his eyes. "Honestly, you straight men. So boring." He muttered, then turned his gaze back onto Regina. "I'll have a mocha latte, half-caf, no whip, two pumps of vanilla, an extra shot of espresso, and just a dash of hazelnut cream."
Regina blinked several times, shaking her head. "I'll, uh… Try and remember all that, Remus."
"No whip!" Remus called after Regina as she started toward the door. "What?" He asked of David, who was raising an eyebrow at him. "I'm mortal now. I've got to watch my figure."
Regina continued shaking her head as she stepped out the door. As she walked down Underbrook's Main Street, the familiar knot in her stomach quickly returned, as did the painful lump in her throat. Her thoughts wandered to Shae, to the tortured image she had seen of her at the graveyard. The pain of it was nearly unbearable, and she knew that it was all her fault.
You have to help me, Regina. I don't want to be this.
Tears began to well into Regina's eyes as Shae's words from that horrible night in the forest echoed around her mind, the same words she spoke in her dream. She had been having the same dream every night since Shae's death, always the same. She cooked breakfast for her son, and Shae, who was her wife. The strangest part about it all was the two little girls.
One of the girls was short and stout, the other a bit taller, and rail thin. They both had black hair, and olive toned skin, with only a slight shade or two difference between them. The thing that bothered Regina most, was that the taller girl bore an uncomfortably striking resemblance to Shae, blue eyes, messy hair and all.
For a moment, Regina wondered if her dream just might be a vision of the future, but she quickly abandoned the thought. Not only was Shae dead, but it was physically impossible for her and Regina to have children. Even if she did succeed in bringing Shae back from The Underworld, there was no way that the girl in her dream could exist, neither of them could. The more she thought about it, the more confused she got. She put it all from her mind as she reached her destination.
The sign out front of the coffee shop read, "The Morning Dove." Regina stepped inside, and found it to be mostly empty. It was a tiny place, but had a very cozy, homey feel to it. She stepped up to the unattended counter, and rang the small bell. She admired the hand baked scones and muffins on display as she waited.
After a few moments, a young woman burst out of the door leading to the back of the shop. "So sorry about that! How can I-"
The young woman froze where she stood, gaping at Regina with wide, baffled eyes, eyes that were a striking shade of green. "Oh… Oh my… It's… I-It's you." The woman muttered. She spoke with a strange accent, an accent that was strangely familiar. "You're… Regina, aren't you?"
Regina eyed the woman warily. "Yes…" She slowly replied. "Do we know each other?"
The young woman blinked rapidly, opening and closing her mouth several times. "Erm… Well, yes. I mean… No… I mean… I… I-I know you." She stammered nervously. When Regina continued to stare at her in silence, she drew in a deep, steadying breath. "Sorry… Let me start over."
Regina drew back slightly as the woman stepped out from around the counter. The young coffee shop owner tousled her long, chestnut brown hair, which fell in loose curls down past her shoulders. For a moment, Regina's nose caught the scent of lavender. The brown haired woman smiled a warm and welcoming smile at the once Evil Queen, and held out her hand.
"My name is Nadia. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."
XX
Hades, God of Death, sat in his barber's chair that served as his throne within his inner sanctum, glaring at the two unfortunate souls slumped on the ground. Shae and Hook sat side by side in silence. After losing their battle against Cerberus, they were both in too much pain to even manage speech.
"The prisoner you two aided in escaping…" Hades spoke quietly, a sinister note in his voice. "She's… Moved on from this realm."
Hook grunted and groaned as he shifted in his spot. "Good for her." He managed to rasp.
Shae chuckled from beside him, and immediately regretted doing so as her whole body ached. The laughter caught in her throat when Hades suddenly rose from his throne, summoning some sort of weapon into his hand. From where Shae and Hook were both sitting, it looked like some sort of shortsword.
"Just… Get on with it, then." Hook growled in defiance.
"Oh this?" Hades asked, holding up his weapon. "No, this isn't for you. It's for your friends."
Hades marched up to Hook, and shoved the weapon into his good hand, forcing him to take it. Upon closer inspection, the object wasn't a weapon at all, per se. It was a chisel.
"What the bloody hell am I supposed to do with this?" Snarled Hook.
A devious grin suddenly stretched across Hades' face. "Simple accounting, really." He replied with a dismissive wave of his hand. "At first, I wanted your friends to leave. I had such a smooth-running operation going here before they arrived. Now I've decided they've caused too much damage. So my vindictive side… Did you know I have one? It wants to punish them."
Hades paused for a moment, turning his back on both of his prisoners. Hook and Shae exchanged a worried glance. "So, from now on…" Hades continued. "For every soul your friends free, one of them is going to have to stay."
The Lord of the Underworld waved his hand in the air. Three marble gravestones appeared before him. What was strange about them, was that they were all blank.
"And, one of you… Gets to decide who."
Silence fell over the sanctum once again. Hook stared at the chisel, his hand shaking around it's handle. Shae squeezed her swollen eyes shut, leaning her head back against the grandfather clock that she and Hook were both sitting in front of. What the pirate had said really was true. Emma really was in The Underworld, as was Regina. They really had come to save the two wretched souls that were once the people that they loved.
"Oh, come on!" Hades suddenly shouted, spreading his arms wide. "All you need to do is choose three of your friends to stay here. Carve their names!"
Hook tossed the chisel onto the floor, fixing Hades with an obstinate glare. "I'm not doing it."
Hades sighed in a disappointed sort of way, then turned his attention onto Shae. "What about you, hm? The famous Shae Cormac, Shae of Arendelle, The Evil Queen's fearsome Protector." He paused for a moment, fixing Shae with a knowing, devious grin. "Surely you wouldn't mind condemning Snow White and Prince Charming after all they've done to you. Or your nemesis, Robin Hood."
Shae balled her hands into fists, peering through hazy eyes at Hades. "Robin's here?" She quietly asked.
Hades' grin grew even wider. He bent down and picked up the chisel, holding it out to Shae. "Of course he is." He replied. "Of course he followed Regina straight down the rabbit hole. He's probably by her side right now, as we speak. Doesn't that just… Piss you the hell off?"
After a few moments of more silence, Shae reached out, and took the chisel from Hades' hand. "Shae… Shae, don't." Hook muttered.
"Shut up, Hook." Shae growled.
She grunted and groaned as she pushed herself shakily up onto her feet. She staggered forward toward the blank headstones. With chisel in hand, she started to carve into the marble.
"Good…" Hades whispered, a twisted smile stretching across his face. "Very good, Shae. I'm proud of you."
Hades returned to his throne, where he sat and waited patiently. Shae paused for a moment, glancing back at The God of Death. "A little privacy while I work?" She asked with a shrug.
Hades eyed Shae suspiciously for a moment. He then shrugged himself, and turned around in his chair. Once his back was turned, Shae returned to work.
"Shae… What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" Hook pleaded with her from his spot on the floor.
"I said… Shut up, Hook!" Shae snapped back at him.
Hook glared at the back of Shae's head as she turned her attention back to the headstones. For a long while, the only sounds to be heard were the quiet flow of The River of Lost Souls, and Shae chiselling away. Hook could scarcely believe that Shae was once again giving in to her own vindictive side. He continued to glower at the back of Shae's head, his one good hand shaking as he clenched it into a fist.
"Done!" Shae finally announced.
She stepped aside to showcase her work, and Hades spun back around in his chair. Hook had to bite his tongue to stop himself from bursting out laughing. The headstones, from left to right, read, "KISS. MY. ASS."
The clattering of the chisel in Shae's hand broke through the silence as she tossed it to the ground. One of her wide, cheeky grins stretched across her face as she stood beside the headstones. After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, Hades started to laugh.
"Ah, there's that famous wit that I've heard so much about." He said with another chuckle. "You really don't care who you piss off, do you?"
"Not in the slightest." Shae replied, grinning even more.
Hades continued laughing as he slowly rose from his throne. Shae swayed on her feet, but the grin remained defiantly on her face. The Lord of The Underworld remained silent for a time, pacing back and forth amidst his sanctum. Shae and Hook both watched him carefully, silent themselves.
"You know, I'm not angry, just… Disappointed." Hades spoke softly. Suddenly, he stopped his pacing, and turned his eyes onto Shae, eyes that were filled with fury. "Actually, on second thought… I am angry."
Shae barely had time to blink before Hades was upon her. He slammed his fist into her stomach, then countered with a swift uppercut to her jaw. Shae hit the ground hard, coughing and sputtering, blood trickling out between her lips.
"For you, my dear Captain, it's off to solitary." Hades announced as he stepped up to Hook. He seized him roughly by his hair, and dragged him over to a small wooden boat that was sitting upon the water. "Now, listen carefully." He whispered in Hook's ear, throwing his arm around his shoulders. "This is the River of Lost Souls. Touch it, and you will be reduced to a mindless, tormented husk. So please, make sure to keep all arms and… Hand, inside the boat, at all times."
Hades shoved Hook forward, and the pirate fell face first into the boat. Hades then waved his hand in the air, and the boat began to sail forward. "It's alright, Hook!" Shae shouted from her spot on the floor, coughing up more blood. "It's… I-It's Gonna be ok!"
Shae grunted as Hades rushed her again, and gave her a swift, hard kick in the belly. "You…" He snarled, crouching down in front of her. He paused for a moment, sniffing the air. He then narrowed his eyes at his prisoner. "You stink of hope. How? Why?"
Shae started to laugh, which infuriated The God of Death even more. "Don't you know who's here in your precious realm?" She growled. She grunted and groaned some more, coughing and shivering violently as she pushed herself up into a sitting position. She then fixed Hades with another one of her wide, cheeky grins. "The Evil Queen. And she's gonna be pissed…"
Hades barked out with a loud, amused guffaw. "Oh, that's funny, you're funny!" He said as he straightened back up. "Do you honestly think Regina can save you? We both know that she's not The Evil Queen anymore. She hasn't been for a while now."
"She's still my Queen." Shae growled back at him. "And she's coming. She's coming for me."
Hades laughed even more. "And just where do you think all her power came from, hm?" He asked, sneering into Shae's face. "The darkness. And you yourself helped her to let go of it. She's nothing now. You are nothing."
Shae's grin suddenly disappeared, and she spat a wad of phlegm and blood right into the face of The God of Death. "Fuck you." She snarled.
Hades didn't even flinch. "Oh… Did I hit a sore spot?" He said with a grin of his own.
Shae cried out in pain as Hades seized her by her throat, lifting her effortlessly to her feet. She clawed desperately at his hand, gasping for air as he dragged her toward his throne. He shoved her into it, and metal shackles immediately sprang forth, locking down her wrists, her ankles. She struggled feebly against her bonds for a moment, but it was a fruitless effort. She was trapped.
"Now, then…" Hades began.
His back was turned, hunched over the nearby table. When he turned around, he was holding a thick, circular metal band in his hands. There were holes carved into it, as well as runes, ancient runes. Shae recognized them, as well as the band. Her eyes grew wide with horror.
"No…" She whispered.
"Recognize this, do you?" Hades asked with another devious grin. "I thought you might. For being such a foul, brutish race, you elves did do some truly refined things with magic."
Hades stepped up to Shae, and gingerly placed the metal band upon her head. He smiled into her eyes as he backed away, then turned to his table again. When he turned back around, he was holding several large needles in his hand. They were large enough to be butter knives, but ten times as sharp. Shae began to struggle wildly against her bonds.
"I'm going to find out how exactly you escaped my realm, and, as an added bonus, I'm going to take your hope… And crush it." Hades whispered, his voice soft and sinister. "Now… Hold still. The more you struggle, the more it's going to hurt."
With her heart pounding, her chest heaving, Shae stared into the eyes of The God of the Dead as he approached her once again. He seized her roughly by her hair, shoving her head back against the headrest of his barber's chair. He held his grip on her hair with one hand, raising a needle with the other. Shae screamed as it pierced her flesh, boring straight through her skull.
"Now, then…" Hades murmured into Shae's ear. "Let's see what you're hiding away in that head of yours…"
XX
"My name is Nadia. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."
A sudden, deafening ringing filled Regina's ears, drowning out all other sound. She stared with her mouth gaping open at the woman standing before her. Regina stared into Nadia's brilliant green eyes, at her perfect ringlets of brown hair, at her dazzling smile. Even though she was dressed simply in jeans and a sweater, Regina had to admit that she was strikingly beautiful.
"You're… Y-You're Nadia?" She stammered, once she was able to manage speech. "As in… The Nadia? Shae's Nadia?"
The young woman nodded. "I've… I-I've heard a lot about you. It's nice to finally be able to meet face-to-face." She said, smiling a warm, welcoming smile. "If you don't mind me asking, how did you… Erm… Well, you know…"
Regina's mind was still a bit muddled over the shock of meeting Shae's deceased ex-lover. "Oh… Oh, I, um… I-I'm not dead." She replied, once she managed to find her words again. "I'm actually here, for, um… For Shae."
Nadia's green eyes grew wide with shock, and the smile slowly faded from her face. "Shae… Shae's here? Shae's… Dead?" When Regina nodded, Nadia breathed out a heavy sigh, running a hand through her chestnut brown hair. "I see… So, you've come to save her, then?"
Regina raised an eyebrow at her lover's ex-lover. "How did you know?"
"Oh, we hear it all down here." Nadia replied with a slight chuckle. "The story of The Evil Queen and her Protector is quite well known, actually. You two always manage to find each other, save each other, against all odds."
Regina sighed heavily herself. "Yes, well, this time… This time is different." She said, slowly shaking her head. "I don't know how to find her. I don't even know where to start looking, or how to find a way back home."
Nadia nodded slowly in understanding. The two women fell into a solemn, slightly uncomfortable silence for a few moments. Nadia then cleared her throat, smiling another warm, welcoming smile at the once Evil Queen.
"Well… I know this is all a bit… Well, awkward." She said slowly, carefully. "But I'd like to help, in any way I can. If you'll have me, of course."
For a moment, Regina continued to stand in silence. Meeting Shae's first love face-to-face was a bit overwhelming. She pondered how exactly Shae would react to meeting Daniel, if she had encountered him in The Underworld. She would never know, for Regina had already visited Daniel's grave, and found that he had moved on to a better place. She was grateful for that, ever so grateful.
"Yes… Yes, of course." Regina finally replied, managing a small, nervous smile of her own. "In fact, there's someone else that came here with me, someone who would love to see you."
Nadia's green eyes immediately grew wide with understanding. "My brother?" She whispered. "Remus?"
Regina nodded, and Nadia clapped her hands over her mouth, her eyes beginning to glisten with tears. "Oh… Oh, it would so wonderful to see him again." She said, her voice cracking with emotion. "Please, can you… C-Can you take me to him?"
Regina breathed out another heavy sigh, and nodded once again. "Of course."
Another wide, dazzling smile stretched across Nadia's lips. She quickly undid the strings of the apron she was wearing, and tossed it over the counter. "Um… Don't you need to find someone to cover your shop?" Asked Regina.
Nadia scoffed, rolling her bright green eyes. "No, of course not. This is The Underworld. It's not like I'm making any coin here." She replied with a shrug. "Besides, The Blind Witch holds a monopoly over breakfast in this place. The damned bitch."
Regina couldn't help but laugh. She followed Nadia out the door of her tiny cafe, and led the way back toward Underbrooke's version of Granny's Diner. Though she was a bit distressed over actually meeting Nadia, Shae's famous first love, Remus' beloved sister, she couldn't deny what she felt deep inside. It was something that she hadn't felt since Shae's death, no matter how many speeches Mary Margaret and David gave. For the first time in a while, Regina felt hope.
XX
No more screams were able to escape Shae's lips as Hades inserted another needle through one of the holes carved into the enchanted metal circlet upon her head. He had bored deep into her skull, deep into her brain. She couldn't move, couldn't speak, her body twitching and convulsing involuntarily. She could feel every drop of blood trickling down her face.
"One more should do the trick, I think." Hades mumbled as he inserted another needle.
Shae felt the stinging, burning agony as it pierced her flesh, and all she was able to manage was a small, feeble groan. Suddenly, strange images began to flash before her eyes. She quickly realized that they were memories, blinking quick and scattered in and out of view.
"Oh… Wow. It is a real mess up here." Hades spoke from somewhere behind Shae. She felt his hands resting gently atop her head. "Such a bleak and troubled childhood. Mortal, vampire, mortal, and now… Just another dead, wretched soul. You don't even know who you are anymore, do you?"
Shae opened her mouth, intending to scream obscenities at her torturer. But, once again, all that came out was a tiny, almost inaudible groan. "Oh, here we are." Hades muttered quietly. "I think we're on to something now."
More images flashed before Shae's eyes. She watched herself and Remus pull Dracula down into the portal that led to The Underworld. Then, they were running, trees flying past them. She was clinging to Remus's. She watched him let loose his grip on the edge of a cliff, and then they were falling, her, Remus, and Dracula. They plunged into the river Acheron. Next, she saw a man, a young man with brown hair, dressed in white robes trimmed with gold.
"No…" Hades suddenly whispered.
Shae felt Hades' hands lift off her head, and he stepped back into her line of sight. His eyes were filled suddenly with an immense fury, and he emitted a deep, enraged snarl. "ZEUS!" He shouted into the air. "Get your sorry, toga'd ass down here, brother! We need to talk!"
Suddenly, there was a blinding flash of white light, and a clap of thunder shook the very walls of Hade's inner sanctum. A man was now standing before Hades, the same man that Shae had seen in her vision; Zeus, God of Olympus.
"Yes, brother?" Zeus asked in a bored, exasperated tone. "Why do you summon me?"
Unable to speak, unable to move, Shae had no choice but to sit and listen as the two gods spoke. "We had an agreement." Hades snarled at his brother, pointing a furious finger in his face. "We agreed that you would not interfere with my realm, and I would not interfere with yours."
Zeus breathed out a long, heavy sigh. "Yes, I am well aware." He replied in the same dull, disinterested tone. "What exactly makes you think that I would debase myself by mucking about with one of your miserable souls?"
"See for yourself." Hades replied, gesturing to Shae.
Shae suddenly found herself staring into the eyes of The God of Olympus. She tried to speak, tried to call out to him for help. But no sound was able to escape her lips. Zeus was then lost from her view, and she felt hands upon her head once again.
The same images from before began to flash before Shae's eyes. Clinging desperately to Remus' hand, begging him to just let her go, to take care of Regina once she was gone. She watched once more as she plunged head first into The River of Lost Souls. She saw Zeus standing before her again, in that strange room filled with pillars and fog.
"Hades…" She heard Zeus whisper from behind her. She then felt his hands lift from her head, and the visions stopped again. "I know we have had our differences, but you must believe me… I did not do this. I would not."
"Then how exactly do you care to explain her memories?" Hades growled, pointing a shaky finger at his prisoner. "Memories don't lie, brother. They can't."
Silence fell over The God of Death's sanctum. Zeus stepped back into Shae's line of sight once again, pacing slowly back and forth, stroking his chin. "I know." He finally replied, his tone quiet and concerned. "I fear a certain friend of ours might be up to his old tricks again."
Hades suddenly burst out laughing. "Not possible." He replied with a dismissive wave of his hand. "He's been under lock and key for centuries, eons. He has no power anymore."
"I wouldn't be so sure." Zeus muttered quietly.
Hades watched Zeus silently as he stepped over to the table that held The God of Death's torture tools. When he turned back around, Shae was alarmed to see a needle in his hand. She tried to struggle, tried to fight, but she had no control over her body any more. She couldn't even scream as The God of Olympus bent over her, and inserted another needle into her skull.
All Shae felt was pain, and, suddenly, her vision darkened. Hades' inner sanctum was lost from her sight. Strange runes and glyphs flashed in the darkness of her mind. Suddenly, she found herself speaking in some sort of ancient tongue, one that she herself didn't even understand.
"It's as I feared." She heard Zeus whisper from somewhere beside her. "Brother, this woman must not escape. You cannot let her leave this realm. In fact, you should send her into the flames, and quickly."
"Why?" Asked Hades, his tone laden with suspicion. "What's so important about her?"
For a moment, there was only more silence. Then, Shae heard another clap of rolling thunder, felt the roar of it vibrating through her limbs. "HOW DARE YOU QUESTION ME!" Zeus shouted. The thunder then slowly dissipated, and Zeus spoke quietly once again. "It is not your place to question, brother, it is your place to listen and obey. Need I remind you who sits on the throne of Olympus, who rules over the realm of the Gods?"
There was one last clap of thunder, then more silence. Shae continued to sit trapped in Hades' throne, muttering impossibly ancient words over and over again. All she could see was the flashing, glowing glyphs and runes. She was confused, frightened, and helpless.
"I don't think so, brother." Hades snarled, practically spitting out the last word in disgust. "I'm going to find out what you're hiding from me."
All Shae could hear was a quiet shuffling, a quiet clattering. Then, she felt it. She felt the agonizing pain as Hades drilled another needle into her skull. Finally, somehow, she was able to scream.
"REGINAAA!"
XX
The souls of the dearly departed milled about up and down the streets of Underbrooke. Several heads turned toward Regina's direction as she walked side by side with Nadia. There were many, many souls trapped in The Underworld because of The Evil Queen. Regina did her best to ignore their icy glares.
"It's… I-It's going to be alright, you know." Regina finally said after several moments of walking in silence. She couldn't help but notice that Nadia kept anxiously wringing her hands. "He is your brother, after all."
Nadia nodded, taking a quick, steadying breath. "Yes… Yes, I know. It's just been so long. I'm just trying to work out what to even say to him."
"Maybe start with, 'Hello?'" Regina offered with a shrug.
Nadia chuckled, nodding her head some more. She then cleared her throat, turning her green eyes onto Regina. "Do, um… Do you have any siblings?" She asked, making small-talk.
"A sister, yes." Regina replied, breathing out a heavy sigh. "But, um… We don't exactly get along."
"Oh, I see. I'm sorry to hear that." Nadia said with a frown. "I can't even imagine what life would have been like if Remus and I hadn't got on. After mum died and father left, well… He was all I had. He practically raised me."
"I'm sorry to hear that." Regina responded with a frown of her own. "What exactly happened to your parents? I don't think I've ever heard Remus talk about them."
Nadia breathed out a sour chuckle. "No, he's never liked to mention them much. All I know is mum died giving birth to me, then father just… Disappeared. Left a six-year-old boy behind with his new born baby sister." Suddenly, a fierce scowl darkened the young woman's face. "Remus always told me that we were better off without them. Father was a drunk, and mum was a mean old witch. She used to beat him, as did father, when he was in one of his drunken rages. He grew up hating them both, as did I."
Regina nodded slowly in understanding, and the two women fell into a solemn silence as they continued on down Underbrooke's Main Street. Regina pondered everything Nadia had just told her about her brother, the man that she had come to care for like family herself. All she knew was that the more she heard about life in Avalon, amongst the famous elven race, the more it sounded like an awful, terrible place to grow up. She was finally beginning to understand why neither Shae nor Remus ever really spoke about it, why neither of them ever wanted to.
Finally, Nadia and Regina arrived at their destination, Granny's Diner. With her hand resting on the door handle, Regina glanced back at Nadia, who gave her a swift but anxious nod. Regina nodded back, then pushed the door open, and stepped inside.
"There you are!" David called out from the counter, where he was still seated. "You were gone for a while. I was starting to get worried." He frowned when he noticed Regina's empty hands. "Where's the coffee?"
Regina bit her lip as she slowly crossed the diner to where David was sitting. "Right, um… Well, I didn't get any coffee. But I did find something else… Someone else." She stepped aside, and gestured to Nadia, who was trailing nervously along behind her. "David, this is Nadia. Nadia, this is… Prince Charming."
Nadia's brilliant green eyes grew wide with shock. "Prince Charming? Really?" She exclaimed, a wide, excited smile stretching across her face. "Oh, it's such a pleasure to meet you! I've heard so much about you!"
David blinked several times in surprise as Nadia enthusiastically shook his outstretched hand. "Wait a minute…" He mumbled, turning his gaze onto Regina. "Did you say… Nadia?"
Regina breathed out yet another heavy sigh. "Yes."
"As in… The Nadia?"
"Yep."
"Shae's Nadia?"
"Mm-hmm, mm-hmm."
David merely nodded his head slowly for a moment. "Oh." Was all he managed to say. He shifted his eyes nervously between the two women standing before him for a moment, to which Regina gave him a small shrug. "Well, um, it's… I-It's a pleasure to meet you too." He said, smiling warmly at Nadia. "And, please, call me David."
Suddenly, the excited smile faded from Nadia's face. "Oh… Oh, is that really your name?" She asked with a disappointed frown. "David… Hmm… I just… I thought it'd be something more charming and, well… Princely, you know?"
Regina bit her lip as she fought off the urge to laugh. She then quickly collected herself, and cleared her throat. "Where exactly has Remus run off to?"
"Oh." David muttered again. "Right, um… He's in the bathroom. Should be out any-"
"Regina!"
They all turned toward the sudden, familiar shout. Remus was walking toward them from the back of the diner. "Where's our coffee?" He asked, mimicking David's words, as well as his disappointed frown. "Did you forget my order? I told you I want a mocha latte, half-caf, no whip-"
"Yes, yes, Remus, I know." Regina quickly interjected. "I'm sorry, I didn't get the coffee, but… B-But I did… Well… Um…"
Regina stopped her anxious stammering, and stepped aside once again. She gestured to the young, brown haired woman standing behind her, Remus' beloved, long lost sister. For several long, long moments, there was only silence as Remus stood rooted in his spot, staring with his eyes and mouth gaping wide at Nadia.
"Well, say something, you knob!" Nadia said with a laugh, finally breaking the uncomfortable silence.
Remus simply continued to gape silently at his sister for a few more moments. He opened and closed his mouth several times, but no sound came out. Then, suddenly, his own brilliant green eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he collapsed onto the floor.
XX
Darkness. Shae saw nothing but darkness, accompanied by the strange, glowing glyphs and runes. They were starting to hurt.
"I don't… I DON'T UNDERSTAND!"
Hades was shouting again, and Shae had started to float in and out of consciousness. She dreamed in memories, some good, some terrible. Every time she woke, all she felt was pain, all she saw were the runes and glyphs. She could hear herself uttering the same ancient words over and over and over again, but still couldn't understand them. She could also hear Hades, and, from the sound of things, neither could he.
"I am the great and terrible Hades, God of Death, Lord of The Underworld." Shae heard him saying in a dark, dangerous tone. "I know every language that there is, so why… WHY… Why can't I…"
There was silence for a moment, only more of Shae's uncontrollable babble of ancient words. "Oh…" Hades suddenly whispered. "Oh, I see… The prophecy… But, it's too soon. Unless… Oh… OH!"
The God of Death suddenly burst out laughing, and Shae grunted meekly as he gave her an excited punch in the shoulder. "Yes! Oh, yes, I see now." Hades went on, a sudden gleeful note in his voice. "It's because of the time spell. She's changed things."
Shae could feel herself slipping into unconsciousness once again. She tried as hard as she could to picture Regina's deep, gorgeous brown eyes in her mind. Suddenly, she was standing next to her Queen out on the balcony off of her bedroom, the bedroom that she summoned her Protector to nearly every night.
Regina slowly turned those brown eyes onto her, and the morning sun caught them just right. Shae was astounded, felt as if she was staring into two warm pools of golden honey. It was such a simple moment, but it was the moment that she knew that she was in love with Regina, deeply, desperately in love.
"Regina…" She whispered softly. "Regina, I… I just… I-"
Shae took her Queen's hand, and opened her mouth to speak the words she wished she had said in that moment, the words she had been too frightened to say. But no sound was able to come out. Suddenly, she couldn't even move. She couldn't see Regina's gorgeous brown eyes any more, she couldn't see anything, just runes. Then, the pain came again.
"NOOO!" Shae screamed as her torturer shoved another needle deep into her skull. "Regina… REGINAAA!"
XX
Night had fallen over Underbrooke, and Granny's Diner was livelier than usual. The group from Storybrooke had gathered within to celebrate a victory. The famous Hercules, with the help of his old friend Snow White, and his new friend Meg, had defeated Cerberus. He had finally completed his labors. He could finally cross over, and join his father on Mount Olympus.
Meg, at Hercules' behest, decided to accompany the demi-god. However, before the two of them stepped into the warm, white light, Meg provided her new friends with even more invaluable information. She insisted that Hades would be keeping both Shae and Hook in some sort of isolation, and she even drew them a map of Hades' dungeon. The others were all extremely grateful, and they said a tearful, heartfelt goodbye to both Meg and Hercules. Tomorrow, they were going to find their loved ones, and bring them back home.
"Regina… You ok?"
Regina snapped out of the daze she had been in, sitting at the counter, staring into her glass of whiskey. It was Shae's favorite, but Regina much preferred wine herself. She turned her head, and found Snow White standing beside her, formerly known as Mary Magaret.
Snow had decided that she didn't want to be Mary Margaret anymore. Her family, her friends, they didn't need Mary Margaret and her impassioned speeches about hope anymore. They needed Snow White, a woman of action. Regina herself had helped her make the decision, and she was grateful that she had made it. All those speeches were getting to be insufferably annoying.
"Fine. I'm fine." Regina replied, managing a weak smile.
Snow sighed, glancing over at Remus and Nadia, who were sitting together at a booth in the back. Once Regina and David forced Remus awake again, he and Nadia spent the rest of the day laughing and reminiscing together. Remus was overjoyed, beside himself over being reunited with his beloved sister. Regina couldn't help the slight pang of jealousy she felt as she watched them talking and laughing together. All she wanted was to see Shae again, to hold her in her arms, kiss her, tell her that she was sorry.
"I know it's a bit, um… Weird, for you, having Nadia here." Snow went on in a careful, consoling tone. "But, from what I've seen, you've been nothing but nice to her. I'm really proud of you, Regina. You've come a long way."
Regina sighed, taking another sip of her whiskey, grimacing as it burned on the way down. "Thank you." She said with another half-hearted smile. "I won't lie, it has been a bit… Well, weird. But, honestly, Nadia is the least of my concerns. I just… I want to find Shae. That's all. I don't really have it in me to care much about anything else."
Snow nodded slowly in understanding. "I know, Regina." She quietly replied, taking Regina's hand and squeezing it gently. "We have the map that Meg drew us. It'll lead us right to both Shae and Hook. We'll find her. We'll find them both. Don't worry."
Snow White cast her eyes over to her daughter, who was sitting in a nearby booth, alone. Emma was staring down at Meg's map that was sitting on the table in front of her. They all had tried to speak with her, but she wasn't exactly in a festive mood either. She too wanted to find the one she loved, more than anything.
The next morning, the group from Storybrooke all gathered within Underbrooke's version of The Charming's apartment. All except Gold, who preferred to remain at his pawn shop. None of them minded. Now that he was The Dark One again, the others trusted him just about as far as they could throw him, which wasn't far at all. Through his exceptional cunning and trickery, Gold turned Excalibur back into a dagger, which now held the power of all the Dark One's that came before him. He was now more powerful than he had ever been before.
"Found more arrows!" Regina called out from where she was crouched in front of the mostly ruined kitchen counter.
Robin came rushing down the stairs that led up to the loft. "At least that's some good news." He said as he took the bundle of arrows from Regina's hand. "You do not want to see what that hell dog did upstairs."
"Right. Ok." Emma muttered as she glanced around at all the others. "You guys think we're ready?"
"As ready as we'll ever be." Remus said, glancing at his sister, who nodded in agreement.
Emma nodded back, and she stepped toward the door. The rest made to follow, but they all stopped in their tracks as Gold appeared in the doorway. "What are you doing?" He asked with a frown.
"We're going to get Hook and Shae." David replied, narrowing his eyes at The Dark One. "What's it look like we're doing?"
Gold gazed around at all of them in silence for a moment, then breathed out a small chuckle. "So, all forty-five of you are going to slip down into the deepest level of detention in The Underworld?" When he was met with only more silence, he laughed once again. "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. If all of you go strutting into his domain, you'll be puffs of dust."
The others all exchanged worried glances. Somehow, they hadn't thought of that. "Ok… So… S-So we get a new plan." Emma stammered quickly.
"Correct." Said Gold, folding his hands in front of him. "The rest of you occupy yourselves as you will. Perhaps cleaning?" He gestured around him at the shambles of the apartment left after Cerberus had attacked. Then, he turned back 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 muttered, narrowing her eyes suspiciously at Gold. "Yesterday, you hid in your shop. Today, you're gonna lead the charge to find the pirate that you hate, and… And Shae, who you… Also seem to hate."
"She's right." Nadia spoke up, folding her arms across her chest. "Just doesn't seem to add up, Dark One. What's your game, hm?"
For a moment, Gold simply stared at Nadia, a strange sort of look in his eye. "My game… Is to go home." He replied, quickly shifting his eyes back onto The Savior. "I realized that if I don't step in, we are never going to manage that. And I very much want to get back home to my wife."
Remus suddenly snorted loudly. "Oh, you mean your wife who doesn't even know the depths of your treachery?"
Gold narrowed his own eyes at Remus. "Yes, I suppose you're right." He admitted with a snarl. "Now then, Miss Swan. Shall we?"
"Wait!" Nadia shouted, taking an angry step forward. "There's no way you're going without us. Right, Regina?"
Nadia gestured to herself and her brother, then turned her eyes expectantly onto Regina. The once Evil Queen simply breathed out a heavy high, slowly shaking her head. "No… As much as I hate to admit it, Gold is right." She quietly replied. "The more of us that go, the more chance there is of Hades finding us. There's… Too much at risk."
"Bollocks!" Nadia continued shouting, pointing a irate finger at Regina. "I say bollocks to that! You said you came here to find Shae, to save her!"
"I DID!" Regina shouted back. Silence fell over the group from Storybrooke as they watched her point a stern finger right back at Nadia. "Which is why I agree with Gold. Emma is The Savior, not me. She stands the best chance at saving Shae, not me. Not any of us."
Nadia stood her ground as Regina pointed her finger in her face. She remained silent for a moment, glaring into Regina's eyes. She then turned to Gold, folding her arms stubbornly across her chest once again.
"Well, you said you need a helpful dead person, yeah?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at The Dark One. "That's me. I'm a helpful dead person."
Gold opened his mouth to reply, but Remus cut him off. "NO!" He shouted, his green eyes wide. "No, absolutely not! If I'm to stay behind, then so are you. Besides, it's far too dangerous. Better another damned soul."
"Agreed." Gold replied quickly, before Nadia could argue. "I have just the soul in mind. Shall we, Miss Swan?"
Emma bit her lip, glancing over at Regina, who had turned her back on the others. Regina rested her hands on the kitchen counter. She tried to stop the quaking of her limbs, stop the tears that were welling into her eyes.
"Hey…" Emma whispered quietly. She placed her hand gently on Regina's shoulder. "I want to find Shae too. I'll bring her back. I promise."
Regina nodded, squeezing her eyes shut as the tears leaked onto her cheeks. "Please." She whispered back, placing her hand on top of Emma's. "Please, just… Bring her back to me."
Emma gave her a determined nod, then turned to Gold. "Alright. Let's do this."
Gold nodded himself, and he and Emma both promptly set off on their quest. Regina glanced quickly at Nadia. Her brilliant green eyes were filled with fury, and she stomped up the steps to the loft, away from her brother and all the others. Regina breathed out a shaky sigh, burying her face in her hands.
"It's alright, Mom." Henry said quietly, placing his hand soothingly on his mother's back. "Emma and Grandpa, they'll find Shae. I know they will."
Regina nodded, wrapping her arm around her son's shoulders, holding him close. "I sure hope so, Henry." She whispered. "I… I sure hope so."
XX
Hours and hours went by, and the group from Storybrooke, minus two, were still waiting. They milled about within Underbrooke's version of Emma's house, the one Hook had picked out for her when she had been The Dark One. It seemed that the pirate had a knack for unique real estate, for not only had the basement once housed Excalibur, it was also a door that led to the depths of The Underworld, to Hades' dungeon.
Whilst they waited for Emma and Gold to return with their loved ones, Remus and Nadia regaled them all with stories from their childhood, and their time with Dracula. They spoke of their adventures with Shae, which made Regina heartsick. She endured as many stories as she could, but, eventually, it became too much.
Regina made a quick and quiet escape from the others, and went in search of her own quiet spot where she could be alone. She found a mostly rotted wooden bench in the backyard. Once she was sure it would hold her weight, she sat down, burying her face in her hands. She sat like that for a long while, the soft chirping of the crickets the only sound to be heard as darkness began to fall over Underbrooke once again.
Regina…
A sudden whisper caused Regina to sit back, bolt upright. She furrowed her brow, listening hard. She could have swore that she just heard someone whisper her name.
Regina!
She heard it again, this time, she was sure of it. She practically leapt up from the bench. She turned in circles, trying to ascertain the source of the voice. It was a familiar voice, a voice she would know anywhere. It was Shae's voice.
Regina… REGINAAA!
With her heart hammering, her mind racing, Regina rushed back towards the house. She burst through the door, and turned in circles once again. Suddenly, she felt compelled to go to the basement door, as if some unseen force was pulling her there. As she approached the door, she heard Shae's voice again, this time much louder, screaming.
NOOO! REGINAAA!
"Regina?"
Regina nearly leapt out of her skin. She whirled around, and found Nadia standing behind her. She was eyeing her curiously, holding two coffee mugs in both of her hands.
"Erm… Snow White made hot cocoa." Nadia said slowly, and a bit awkwardly. "I, um… I-I thought you might like some."
For a moment, Regina simply stared between Nadia and the basement door. Her heart was still pounding, Shae's voice continuing to echo around her mind. She sounded like she was in pain, terrible pain. Regina wasn't even sure if anything she had just heard was real. She hadn't slept in days, barely ate, barely even spoke. Was she finally losing her mind?
"Let me guess… Hot cocoa with a dash of cinnamon?" She asked. She breathed out an exasperated sigh, slowly shaking her head as she tried to make sense of what she had just experienced. "Honestly, I could use a little something stronger with my cocoa than cinnamon, if you know what I mean."
A wide grin suddenly stretched across Nadia's face. It was similar to the cheeky, quirky grin that Shae was always sporting. She then cocked her head toward the back door, indicating that Regina should follow her. Regina obliged, and the two women stepped back out into the backyard, into the brisk night air.
Regina couldn't help but laugh as Nadia produced a flask, and poured a healthy amount of the contents into Regina's mug. She emptied the rest of the flask into her own mug, and clinked it against Regina's. The two of them stood in silence for a time, sipping at their drinks. Regina grimaced as her throat burned. More whiskey.
"So… I suppose we're talking again?" Regina asked, taking another small, careful sip from her mug.
Nadia breathed out a heavy sigh. "Yes, I suppose so." She muttered. Her green eyes were filled with remorse as she turned them onto Regina. "I… I-I do apologize for earlier. But, if I can be honest… You should give yourself a little more credit."
When Regina furrowed her brow in confusion, Nadia chuckled, and went on. "'Emma should be the one to save Shae, not me! She's The Savior, not me!'" She said, mimicking Regina's own words from earlier. "So what if she's The Savior? You're The Evil Queen! You're fierce, you're powerful, and bloody gorgeous, to boot. You can do anything!"
Regina chuckled herself, taking another sip from her mug. "You're really not bothered by the fact that I'm… Well, used to be The Evil Queen?"
Nadia simply shrugged. "Not particularly."
"I see." Regina mumbled in reply, eyeing Nadia curiously. "I guess I just thought you'd… Disapprove. Your brother did say that you were all that was good in this world."
Nadia suddenly burst out laughing. "Did he really?" She asked, chuckling some more. "You know, it's funny what the people you love say about you after you're gone, the things they forget." Her laughter slowly faded away, and she breathed out a heavy sigh, sitting down on the rotted wooden bench. "I stole and fought and killed my way through life right alongside Shae and Remus. I've done many, many things that I regret."
Regina laughed as well, in a skeptical sort of way. "Shae and Remus both told me that you never even fed on human blood when you were a vampire."
"Yes, that's right. Because I couldn't, not without retching it all back up again." Nadia replied. Regina was even more confused, and Nadia went on to explain. "It's a rare condition amongst vampires, a, um… Mutation, I suppose. To most, human blood is like… Like… The nectar of the gods. It's taste is indescribable, and it's addicting, horribly addicting. But, to me, human blood tasted… Foul. Like decaying flesh, sewage, and rotten garbage all rolled into one. It was awful."
Regina stood in silence for a moment, staring at Nadia with her mouth hanging open slightly in surprise. "You know, I've heard of something similar in my world." She said quietly, sinking down onto the bench beside Nadia. "Apparently, there's a condition that makes cilantro taste like soap to some people."
Nadia took a quick sip of her drink, and nodded her head vigorously. "Oh! Yes, actually, I have that." She said, laughing some more. "There's a shop just down the street from mine that sells these gigantic burritos. They use cilantro in all their recipes. It was like chewing on a bottle of shampoo!"
Regina laughed loudly that time, finally beginning to feel the effects of the whiskey Nadia had added to her cocoa. "Well, then. It seems like maybe we're not so different after all." She said with a smile, raising her mug. "I know it must be awful to be trapped down here, but… I'm glad that I met you, Nadia."
Nadia smiled back, knocking her own mug against Regina's. "Likewise, Your Majesty." She replied with a wink. "And, for what it's worth, I do approve. You and Shae have been through so much together, more than any couple should ever have to go through, in my opinion. But you still love her, and she loves you. I won't lie, when I first heard, it was a bit… Strange. But it's nice to know that there's someone who loves that ridiculous, brave, beautiful, block-head of a woman as fiercely as I did."
Regina laughed some more, slowly nodding her head. She opened her mouth to speak more, to thank her lover's ex-lover for her kind words. However, a sudden commotion from inside the house caused her to stop short.
"What was that?" Asked Regina, her brow furrowed in concern as she glanced over at the door.
"Dunno." Nadia replied with a shrug. "Guess we'd better go see."
Regina nodded in agreement, and sprang up from the bench. She made to go towards the door, but stopped as Nadia grabbed her arm. Nadia raised her mug, nodded toward Regina's, then gulped the contents of her own down. Regina simply shrugged, and did the same. She coughed and sputtered violently as her throat burned.
Nadia threw back her head, laughing loudly as she clapped the once Evil Queen on the back. "Come on, Your Majesty!" She said with a grin, another one of those grins that was uncomfortably similar to Shae's. "It's only a bit of whiskey!"
After a few deep, soothing breaths, Regina was able to speak. "Honestly, I prefer wine." She replied, stumbling slightly as she followed Nadia into Emma's house.
Nadia chuckled some more, rolling her eyes. "Royals…" She muttered.
Regina led the way back into the living room, where the others were all still gathered. However, there were some new additions to the group. Emma and Gold had finally returned, and, sitting on the couch beside Emma, was none other than Captain Hook.
"You're back!" Regina exclaimed. As she gazed around the room, her excited smile slowly faded from her face. Shae wasn't with them. "Where… Where's Shae?"
The look on Emma's face was an answer in itself. "I'm so sorry, Regina." She replied quietly. "She wasn't there."
Regina swallowed the hard, painful lump that had suddenly formed in her throat. "What?" She whispered.
"Killian was the only one we found." Emma went on in the same quiet, careful tone. "Regina, I… I-I'm so-"
"Where is she?" Regina asked of Hook, abruptly cutting Emma off.
Hook groaned in pain as he shifted in his seat. He was even more battered and bloody than when they had seen him in the graveyard. "I don't know." He answered, shaking his head sadly. "Last I saw her was in Hades' inner sanctum, just before he sent me off to solitary. I have no idea what he's done with her now, but… It can't be good. She really pissed him the hell off."
Gold snorted loudly. "Shae, our Shae, pissed off The God of Death?" He said with a chuckle, his tone laden with sarcasm. "Well, I wish I could say I'm surprised, but-"
"Shut up, Gold!" Snarled Regina.
Gold stopped short, raising his eyebrows in surprise. Regina couldn't hold it in any longer. A burning, white hot fury began to boil deep within her chest. She heard Nadia's voice through the ringing in her ears-, felt her hand on her arm, but Regina shoved her away. She stomped toward the front door, several of her friends calling out to her. She ignored them all.
Heartbroken, furious, and frightened, Regina stomped down the middle of the darkened street. Her clenched fists shook with rage, her eye twitching violently. Finally, the fury burning deep within her boiled over. She stopped in her tracks, threw back her head, and screamed.
Several of the others had rushed out in pursuit of Regina. Robin, Henry, Remus, Nadia, and Gold, they all stood watching as Regina screamed furiously into the night air. All of their jaws dropped open when the ground at Regina's feet suddenly burst into roaring flames. She had lost her magic the moment she had stepped off the boat into The Underworld. Now, it seemed that her powers were exploding out of her.
They were all forced to retreat further as the flames around Regina grew and grew. Several other lost souls who happened to be wandering by turned and ran. The flames roared around Regina like a blazing cyclone.
Then, all of a sudden, the flames disappeared. When the smoke cleared, when the dust settled, all that was left behind was a charred circle of concrete. Regina was on her knees in the center of it all, her chest heaving, her body trembling.
"MOM!" Henry shouted. He rushed toward his mother, and the others followed suit. He skidded to a stop as Remus grabbed his arm, before he stepped onto the still smoldering circle of concrete. "Mom! Mom, are you ok?"
With her back to the others, Regina slowly nodded her head. She shakily pushed herself up onto her feet, and held out a trembling hand. A fireball burst forth from her open palm.
"Well, well…" Gold muttered with a grin. "Welcome back, Your Majesty."
Henry suddenly drew in a sharp gasp. "Her magic!" He whispered with a grin of his own.
Gold nodded at his grandson. "Our emotions have a powerful hold over our abilities, Henry, and emotions run particularly… Hot, in this family."
"So… Does this mean-" Robin Hood began to ask.
"That's right."
They all turned their attention back onto Regina. She slowly turned around to face them, watching the flames of her fireball dancing in her open palm. Then, she slowly closed her hand, and the fireball went out. Though her face was stained with tears, her brown eyes wide and wild with pain, a gleeful, devious grin stretched across her lips.
"I'm back…"
XX
The next morning, after another sleepless night, Regina insisted that they storm Hades' sanctum in search of Shae. She was certain that with her and Emma's combined power, they would be able to handle whatever Hades threw at them. Remus, per usual, was in full agreement with Regina, as was his sister. The Savior, however, was not.
"Regina, we don't even know how to get to Hades' inner sanctum, or how to even get home once we do find Shae." She argued in a calm, careful tone. "Let's just… Give this heart split a try, ok? Then, we can worry about everything else."
Although begrudgingly, Regina did agree. Now that she had her powers back, she was able to magically remove Emma's heart. She split it in two, and attempted to put one half into Hook. But it didn't work. Regina's magic was repelled by something, something that none of them had expected.
Gold seemed to have a suspicious inkling of what exactly was going on, and he suggested that they all visit the graveyard. The others agreed, and what they found shocked them all to their core. There were three brand new headstones, ones that looked very familiar to Hook. Carved into them were three names; Snow White, Emma Swan, and Regina Mills.
"Hades told Shae and I to pick three names, and chisel them onto the headstones." Hook explained in a dark, quiet tone. "He said whoever we picked would remain in the Underworld. I refused, as did Shae, in, um… Her own way."
"Well, it looks like Hades did the picking himself." David muttered, staring wide eyed at the headstones.
Emma's own eyes were wide as well, glistening with frightened tears. "What does this mean?"
"It means we're stuck here." Regina growled in reply, balling her hands into fists. "And neither of us can use our hearts to save Hook and Shae."
Suddenly, Gold burst out laughing, and they all turned their eyes onto him. "I got the pirate out in a day, but you all managed to find a whole new way to fail." He said, slowly shaking his head. Once his laughter subsided, he cleared his throat, smoothing out the front of his suit. "Now, then… I'll be in my shop. I'm done being helpful. I'll find my own way home if I have to."
With that, Gold disappeared in a cloud of bright red smoke. The others all stood in silence for a while. They stared at the three headstones sitting before them, their brows furrowed as they tried to work out what exactly to do next.
"So… What do we do now?" Asked Henry, the very question that was on all their minds.
Regina had been the one to answer immediately: Find Shae. However, to her continued frustration, Snow and David sided with their daughter. The heroes of Storybrooke insisted that their immediate course of action was to find a way out of The Underworld, and back home. Unbeknownst to them, a certain few others had different plans.
"Psst… Meet me outside in one minute. Tell no one." Nadia whispered in Regina's ear.
Night was beginning to fall over Underbrooke once again, and Regina was sitting at the counter within Granny's Diner. The others were all milling about as well, eating, drinking, conversing. She furrowed her brow at Nadia's whispered words.
"Fifty-nine, fifty-eight, fifty-seven…" Regina heard Nadia muttering as she slowly and casually walked away from her.
Regina blinked several times in confusion. She remained in her seat, continuing the count in her head that Nadia had started. Once she reached zero, she got up from her bar stool, and slipped out the front door.
"Psst… Psst! Over here!"
Regina turned toward the hushed whisper, and saw Nadia's head poking around the corner of the diner. She motioned for Regina to follow, and she obliged. She found Nadia in the company of her brother and Robin. Regina stopped in her tracks when she realized that they were all armed.
"What's… Going on?" She asked slowly.
"We're going to get Shae." Nadia answered with a grin. "And you're coming with us."
Regina shook her head in confusion. "I'm sorry… What?"
"It's alright, Regina. We have a plan." Remus replied in a careful tone. "We've found the door to Hades' sanctum, and we have the spell to get us through the barrier."
Regina stood with her jaw hanging open for a moment, then shook her head some more. "Really? I… I just… How?"
"It helps to have friends in low places." Robin answered with a wink. When Regina continued to look perplexed, Robin chuckled, and went on. "I may have picked The Dark One's pocket. I doubt any thief alive can say the same."
Robin looked quite proud of himself, and Regina couldn't help but laugh. She then cleared her throat, slowly nodding her head. "Ok… But… How do we know Hades won't be in his sanctum once we get there?" She asked, folding her arms across her chest. "I don't think any of us really wants to go head-to-head against the God of Death."
"Don't worry. As Remus said, we have a plan." Robin replied, still grinning broadly. "Back in Sherwood Forest, my Merry Men and I planned to raid a Prince's castle. Problem was, Prince John hardly ever left that damned castle of his."
"Prince John." Remus muttered with a chuckle. "The bastard never even saw us coming, did he?"
Robin chuckled as well in agreement. "No, he didn't. Know why?" When Regina slowly shook her head, he went on. "Because we used his people. We went door to door, speaking with his subjects about the injustice they faced, rallying them together. Before long, there was a full on riot in the streets."
"Then, The Prince finally left his castle." Remus continued, chuckling some more. "He was forced to venture out to address the public, which-"
"Which allowed you to slip in." Regina finished for him, a grin of her own starting to stretch across her lips. "And steal back the tax money that Prince John was unjustly charging his people."
Remus opened his mouth to respond, but closed it again, eyeing Regina curiously. "Yes… Exactly. How did you know?"
"The legend of Robin Hood is widely known in The Land Without Magic." Robin was the one to answer. "They got most of it wrong, but a select few things did come out right."
Regina chuckled herself, then quickly cleared her throat once again. "Right, ok. So what exactly is the plan here?"
The others all exchanged a quick glance, then Nadia explained. "Right, so, the library, that's where the door to Hades' sanctum is."
Regina drew in a sharp, sudden gasp. She almost wanted to smack herself for not realizing sooner. "The elevator!" She cried.
"Exactly!" Nadia replied with an excited smile. "So, you, Remus, and I will hide out in the library, out of sight, and wait for the riot to start."
"That's where I come in." Robin went on. "I'll make sure the people take to the streets, rile them up good and proper. As soon as you see Hades leaving the elevator, you all can cast the spell and slip right on in."
"If all goes well, we'll be in and out with Shae in no time, and Lord Death will be none the wiser." Nadia finished with a confident nod.
Regina nodded herself, processing everything they had just told her. "I like it." She replied, after a few moments. "But, I just… I don't understand. Why all the secrecy? Why haven't you told Emma and the others? Why didn't you tell me?"
Robin, Remus, and Nadia all exchanged an uncertain glance for a moment. "Well… Obviously The Charmings and company wouldn't approve of all this. They'd say it's too dangerous, or some other nonsense." Remus replied with a small shrug. "And, honestly, you've changed so much, Regina. You've gotten so chummy with them all, I… I-I wasn't completely certain you'd approve."
For a few moments, Regina stood in silence, slowly nodding her head, her lips pursed into a thin line. The others all glanced around at each other again, not quite sure of what to do or say. Then, Regina cleared her throat once again, and took a step toward Remus.
"Let's make one thing perfectly clear." She spoke in a calm, quiet tone. She narrowed her eyes as she stared into Remus', and poked him sternly in the chest. "I may have changed, that's true. But, after all I've been through, all we've been through… There is nothing I wouldn't do for Shae, no lengths that I wouldn't go to to save her. Understand?"
Slowly, a wide, excited grin stretched across Remus' face. "Excellent." He whispered. "So… Shall we?"
Regina gave them all a determined nod, and the others nodded back. They began to set off in opposite directions, Remus and Nadia toward the library, and Robin Hood toward Underbrooke's main street. Robin stopped when Regina grabbed his arm.
"Robin, wait." She muttered quietly. When Robin turned around to face her, she went on. "Thank you, for everything, but… You don't have to do this. You… You didn't have to do any of this, or even come here, for that matter."
Robin breathed out a heavy sigh, slowly nodding his head. "I know." He said with a smile. "I wanted to."
"Why?" Regina asked of him.
Robin chuckled softly, and took Regina by the hand, squeezing it gently. "I can't say that I know Shae all that well." He replied, still smiling. "But, I think I know her well enough to know that… If the situation were reversed, she would do the same. Not so much for me, I don't think, but… For you, Regina. She'd do anything for you."
Regina nodded her head, biting back the tears that were welling into her eyes. "I know." She whispered. "She… Already has."
Robin nodded as well, in a solemn way. He then gave Regina's hand another gentle, reassuring squeeze. "Right." He said, releasing Regina's hand and hefting his bow. "Now… Go get her."
A few stray tears managed to leak onto Regina's cheeks, and she quickly wiped them away. As Robin set off again, she turned toward Remus and Nadia, who were patiently waiting nearby. Regina took a deep, steadying breath, and nodded.
"Hold on, my love." She whispered as she fell into step beside her companions. "I'm coming."
XX
Shae was dreaming again. She was dreaming once again of a happier time, a simpler time. It was the day Regina had returned to Storybrooke from her trip to Neverland. She was down on one knee before the woman that she loved, ring in hand.
"Regina, will you-"
"Ugh… That's quite enough of that."
Shae turned her head, and, this time, it wasn't Snow White that had rudely interrupted her proposal. It was Hades. Shae leapt to her feet, and opened her mouth to spout profanities at The God of Death. But all that came out was a scream.
Granny's Bed and Breakfast disappeared before her eyes. She was back in Hades' sanctum, strapped to his throne. Her vision was hazy and blurry, but at least the runes and glyphs had gone. She screamed again as Hades twisted and pulled at the needles in her head, and more visions from her past began to flash before her eyes.
"Now, then… Let's go back a little further this time." She heard Hades mutter from behind her.
Shae felt Hades' hands upon her head once again. Her visions slowly began to shift. Hades was now sifting through her memories of Avalon, memories that Shae had worked hard to bury down deep.
She saw herself at barely twenty years old, Remus and Nadia beside her, all of them running wildly from elves clad in golden armor, armed with spears. Next, she was a teenager, swinging a pickaxe in the silver mine. She stopped to scratch at the worn leather slave collar that had been placed around her neck years before. Then, she was a child, scrawny, dirty, and small. She smiled at the tiny, brown haired girl that offered her her hand.
After that, Shae saw things that she did not remember. She was an infant, looked to be only a few days old. A woman dressed in a long, black, hooded cloak was cradling her in her arms. The woman was running, constantly glancing over her shoulder. This particular memory seemed to be the one that Hades was searching for.
"Oh!" He suddenly gasped, digging his fingers deeper into Shae's scalp. "Oh, yes. This is promising."
Shae watched as the woman in her vision finally stopped running. She slowly, gently, laid baby Shae down on the ground. She sobbed quietly as she carefully adjusted the blanket that she was swaddled in. She bent down, and placed a gentle kiss on baby Shae's forehead, whispering softly.
"Va fael, lethalin… Va fael."
Shae recognized the words, the dialect. It was elvish. I'm sorry, my love… I'm sorry. The woman then stood back up, and outstretched her hands over the baby lying at her feet. She then began chanting in a language that Shae did not understand. However, the words did sound strangely familiar, like the ones that she had been unwillingly uttering over and over and over again.
"I see…" Hades whispered from behind her. She felt his hands drop down onto her shoulders, and he breathed out a small chuckle. "Oh… Oh, I see. The Elder Blood…"
"Lord Hades!"
A sudden voice cried out, and Hades breathed out an enraged snarl. "I told you that I was not to be disturbed!" He shouted.
"Yes, my lord. But… B-But it's the people, sir. Your souls. They're… Well, they're rioting in the streets. It's mayhem up there!"
Shae could feel Hades' hands trembling upon her shoulders. "They're WHAT?"
"Erm… R-Rioting, my lord. They-"
"I HEARD YOU THE FIRST TIME!"
Hades stepped back in front of Shae, snarling in rage once again as he ran a hand through his hair. He then turned his eyes back onto his prisoner. Shae blinked furiously through her foggy vision, feeling herself slowly slipping back into unconsciousness.
"Don't go anywhere." Hades commanded with a laugh. Shae groaned feebly as he patted her sharply on the cheek. "I'll be back soon, once I tend to the mess upstairs."
The last thing Shae saw through her hazy eyes was Hades walking away from her. Then, she slipped into another dream. However, this time, her dream wasn't a memory. It was something entirely different, something that Shae wasn't even certain was real.
She saw her best friend, Remus, standing beside Regina, the woman that she loved. They were huddled in the shadows of a darkened alley, one that looked somewhat like the alley beside Granny's Diner. Robin Hood was with them too, as well as another woman, a woman with brown hair and green eyes. Her breath caught in her throat when she realized that it was Nadia.
"We're going to get Shae." Nadia was saying. "And you're coming with us."
Shae felt the tears as they trickled down her cheeks. She tried desperately to focus on her dream, her vision. But it was difficult. She only heard snippets of conversation, saw the faces of her friends and loved ones fading in and out of view.
"We've found the door to Hades' sanctum." She heard Remus say. "And we have the spell to get us through the barrier."
Next, she heard the voice of Robin Hood, the man that was once her nemesis, the man she once hated. "If the situation were reversed, she would do the same. Not so much for me, I don't think, but… For you, Regina. She'd do anything for you."
Finally, Shae heard the voice that she had been so desperately wanting to hear. It was like music to her ears. "Hold on, my love." Regina whispered softly. "I'm coming."
Shae suddenly snapped awake, blinking wildly through her hazy eyes. She grunted and groaned as she forced her head down, and managed to grab hold of one of the needles in her forehead. She took several quick, steadying breaths, then jerked her head back. She howled in pain as the needles in the back of her head smacked against Hades' throne. She blinked the blood out of her eyes, grinning down at the needle clutched in her fist.
Screams, howls, and cries of pain echoed around Hades' now empty sanctum. Another of several bloody needles clattered to the floor as Shae dropped it from her trembling hand. She could taste blood in her mouth, the blood that was dripping down her forehead. She fought hard through the pain, fought desperately to stay awake. She needed to break free. Her Queen was coming for her.
Shae forced herself to lean forward once again, and her quaking hands fumbled around her forehead. Her heart sank when she realized she couldn't reach any more of the needles. She choked out a strangled sob, tears beginning to mingle with the blood covering her face. Then, for the second time in a very, very long time, Shae started to pray.
"Loki, The Destroyer, Lord of Mischief, God of Chaos…" She whispered, her voice trembling just as much as the rest of her body. "You who are cunning and wise, all knowing, seeing all from the shadows… Please… Please… Help me."
"Shae? SHAE!"
Shae heard it again, that voice, the voice that she loved. Regina was closer now, much, much, cloer. She picked her head up, peering through hazy eyes. There were three figures rushing toward her. Finally, for the first time since her death, she smiled.
"Oh my god… Shae… What… What's Hades done to you?"
"I've seen this before." Remus muttered quietly, slowly lowering his sword as he looked upon his oldest and dearest friend. "We both have. We had to free Shae from this same device back in Avalon."
Nadia, who had been carefully scanning the sanctum with her bow drawn, turned back to glance at Shae. "Oh… Gods above." She breathed, her eyes wide.
Nadia stowed her arrow as she rushed over to Shae. "What do we do?" Regina asked of the other two.
"Get them out." Remus answered. "All of them. Quickly."
Regina nodded, and stepped up to Shae, who had fallen unconscious once again. Nadia exchanged a quick glance with Regina, then notched another arrow. Her and Remus slowly walked in a circle, weapons at the ready, as Regina began to pull the rest of the needles from the back of Shae's head.
"Oh god…" Regina whispered as Shae's body convulsed, and she howled with pain. "Oh, Shae… Shae, I'm so sorry."
"Hurry, Regina!" Remus commanded.
The sickening, squelching sound upon removing another needle made Regina's stomach churn. But, she managed to steele herself, and pushed on. Shae continued to scream and shriek with pain, her whole body convulsing violently. Regina sobbed as she wrenched the last needle from Shae's head. Suddenly, Shae's body went limp, her chin slumping into her chest.
"There." Regina whispered, her own body trembling. "Last… L-Last one."
Remus glanced over his shoulder at Shae, as did Nadia, and they both gave Regina a quick, silent nod. While the two of them continued to keep careful watch for any danger, Regina waved her quaking hands over the bonds around Shae's wrists and ankles. Regina breathed out a sigh of relief as they magically sprang free.
"Shae…" Regina whispered, carefully caressing her lover's blood soaked face. "Shae, can… C-Can you hear me?"
"There's no time, Regina." Remus muttered. "We need to-"
Suddenly, Shae's piercing blue eyes snapped open. She lurched forward in her seat, drawing in a deep, shuddering breath. Regina managed to catch her before she tumbled out of Hades' throne.
Remus and Nadia both abandoned their posts, and rushed over to Regina. She grabbed on to Shae's shoulders, and fell back onto the floor, clutching Shae in her arms. She sobbed with pure and grateful joy as Shae gazed into her eyes, a smile slowly creeping across her bloodstained face.
"Regina?" Shae whispered.
Regina smiled back at her, choking out another strangled sob of joy. Remus and Nadia both knelt down beside Regina, their matching green eyes glistening with tears. Regina then leaned forward, and placed a gentle kiss on her lover's lips.
"You came back." Regina whispered to her.
Shae's smile grew even broader. Somehow, she managed to wink with one of her bruised, swollen eyes. "Always." She whispered in return. "I always come back."
XX
