A/N: Just a quick warning, there's a very brief mention of what Zelena did to Robin (and using the word 'rape') in the last scene of this chapter, in the 6th section of it.

~8~

Our Decay

It was rather chaotic within the confines of the Underbrooke apartment one morning though it hadn't begun that way.

Snow White and David had gone to the diner to get them all sustenance, while Gold had taken a walk to his shop to retrieve some objects that might be of some help. Piper had woken to that, to being alone in the small bed he had conjured in one of the other rooms for them to share and looking around for the man. Henry had been passing on his way down to the kitchen, peeking in to check on her and told her about that. There was a small smile on Henry's face that told her Gold had let her sleep on due to her condition (one of the few symptoms she DID experience was more exhaustion than she normally would), not to leave her alone or be sneaky about something. Apparently Gold had gone out of his way to be as quiet as possible and Henry had overheard him requesting…(threatening)…the others into being quiet too so she might sleep longer.

She had yawned as she got up, heading to the kitchen a few minutes after Henry shut the door to find the boy speaking with Emma, Hook, Robin, and Regina, showing them some papers that looked like loose pages of a storybook, complete with writing and illustrations. Though it appeared to be very recent work, for it featured Snow and David sitting in the diner.

"Riveting tale," Hook remarked, "Snow likes oatmeal. Is my morning breakfast in there, too?" he sighed, "Henry, I thought you were gonna use your Author powers to get us to defeat Hades."

"Yes, because Emma had full and complete control over her magic the second she realized she had it," Piper deadpanned, putting an arm around Henry's shoulder as she made her way to his side, in reassurance and support. It was not his fault that he hadn't managed to recreate Hades's story yet, not when he was so new to this type of magic and had to work up his control of it.

"Exactly," Henry nodded, "I don't even remember writing this. I just woke up and had it done."

"Ok," Emma nodded, probably the person there who had the most recent experience trying to learn magic. Was she disappointed they didn't have a way to stop Hades? Yes, but she'd never put that on Henry, she wanted to be as understanding and encouraging as she could, "It's...really well-written."

"Yes, and the illustrations are lovely," Regina offered.

"Maybe if you focus harder..." Robin tried to help.

"Oh," Henry scoffed, rolling his eyes as he picked up the pages, holding a blank one in hand, "So you're all Authors now? Everyone's a writer. Everyone's got an idea. I'm doing my best. Maybe if you'd just lay off for a little bit and be more like Aunt P…"

"Henry," Piper cut in gently, her gaze on the blank page that wasn't blank any longer.

They looked down to see another story appeared to be writing itself in his hands, pictures forming…of Gold, in a dark cavern, his hand over a table, extended as though to cast a fireball out but frozen, the faint shimmer of squid ink shining around him. Worse yet, Hades was there before him, a dagger in hand held too near the man's hand for Piper's comfort...for there was a thin trickle of the red dripping from Gold's hand to a small vial on the table.

Piper let out a startled breath at the sight, Gold had warned her, in this realm, in this form, with a different sort of magic around, he was somewhat more vulnerable to injury. He had gotten a papercut in his shop when he'd been searching for the potion to communicate with Hook, which shouldn't have happened as it was not from his Dagger. He doubted he could be killed, but there was possibility for bloodshed, which appeared to be what Hades was after.

Words began to appear as well.

'You would be surprised,' the inscriptions of Hades spoke, taunting the frozen Gold, 'How easily you can create a portal using Dark One tainted blood. It got you down here. It can reopen the portal,' the man sighed, 'You see, I can come and go as I please, but I can't bring anyone back...alive. By combining our powers...that can change. And I don't care how painful it is for you. Now,' he smirked, 'To create a portal to Storybrooke…'

Piper was nearly about to storm out the door to hunt Hades down herself for taking her mate...when the story continued to write itself, another image catching her eye, giving her pause...for it was of Storybrooke, of August standing in a room with cribs in it, holding Neal in his arms, glaring at Zelena and trying to keep himself between her and the crib that held her daughter.

Another image appeared, Zelena now with the child in her arms, but as a bright light shown from behind her, August on the ground, still clutching Neal, seeming to protect him from the portal opening…

In the blink of an eye Piper nearly stumbled back as a child appeared in her arms, Zelena's baby.

And that was when all hell broke loose.

"What the hell?!" Emma nearly jumped out of her seat at the sudden appearance.

Piper, tense and feeling the sharp desire to find Gold, forced herself to take a deep breath and shift the child closer, easily bobbing it as she hummed lightly, quieting the screaming babe near instantly.

"You're seriously using your magic on a baby!?" Hook glared at her, half-accusation, seeming very disturbed by the thought.

Piper turned an unimpressed look upon him, "I was responsible for the Frontlands," she told him, "Which means I am not above using my magic on any person of any age. But for your information, no, I am not using my magic now."

"Then how…"

"I was a mother," Piper reminded him, "Perhaps not of an infant, but I have ample experience comforting a scared child. And, as it happens, I did watch Neal for a time, he can be especially fussy when he wishes to be."

No one dared bring up that the 'for a time' was before Snow White deemed her and her mate untrustworthy and refused to let her child near them. It didn't need to be said, no one wanted her reminded of that less than Piper herself.

"You're…really good at that," Regina offered in a bid to cover Hook's flub and accusation, hoping to keep her focused on the child.

Of everyone in the room, she had witnessed more of Piper in the Enchanted Forest after they defeated Pan, how she had been when separated from Gold. It wouldn't surprise her in the least if Piper had been on the edge of facing down Hades herself to try and get Gold out of his clutches, which would just put them all in danger. The more she fixated on the baby, the less she could put towards Gold and the safer they'd all be. Because if she put herself in danger to rescue him, Henry would demand they save HER and it would be an absolute mess after.

Though...watching Piper with the child in her arms, it reminded her of when Henry had been a baby. The woman had calmed the child far faster than she had ever managed to with her son.

Piper merely gave her a nod, before turning to Henry, and it was impossible to keep the unease out of her voice as she asked, "Is there anything else, Henry?"

He looked down at the paper as it seemed to have finished writing and frowned, his eyes skimming the words as quickly as he could, knowing she wanted to know if Gold was ok or any clue how to get to him...but there was something else alarming him far more, "Zelena's on her way here!"

"What?" Robin frowned, "Why?"

"Mom has magic," Henry said, looking up from the paper, "And Robin and Hook are good at tracking people and stealing things. She thinks you can help her find the baby."

"We can't let her find her," Robin turned to Regina. Even though…even though the child wasn't his according to the tests he had sat for, he would be lying if he said he didn't have some care for the child. He had spent weeks thinking it was his, and even if it wasn't HIS by blood...it was still Regina's niece, and even beyond that, even if it had no tie to either of them it was innocent, and none of them trusted Zelena with a baby.

"No, we can't," Regina agreed, "Take her upstairs," she turned to Piper and Henry, "When Zelena arrives, Robin and I will lead her away by 'helping' her."

"Regina," Piper began with a frown, her voice firm and warning.

"Emma and Hook will go after Gold," she continued, already guessing why Piper sounded like she was disagreeing with her plan. If it had been Robin taken, her first thought would be to save him as well. And that was what heroes did, they helped people in danger, even if they were villains.

"Aye," Hook agreed, more readily than they thought he would, actually earning a look from Regina for it, "He helped Emma save me, I…a hero would do the same."

Piper scoffed, "A hero would rescue someone merely because it is 'the right thing to do' not quid pro quo."

"It's good enough for me," Emma defended lightly, moving to grab her coat…when there was a knock on the door.

"Go," Regina hurried Henry and Piper to the stairs, knowing it was Zelena, and knowing Henry would also not appreciate being pushed to the side...but it would be the one thing that would keep Piper quiet and doing as she was bid just this once.

If it was Zelena, then she was there, and she might have magic, and that would put Henry in danger because if Zelena thought they would refuse to help her, she'd take leverage to force their hand and Henry would be the most vulnerable. Piper would protect the boy…and the baby, she realized. Because the baby would be, in a way, Henry's family too. SHE was his mother, Zelena her sister, that child her niece, which made her Henry's cousin as far as Henry himself would be concerned and that would be enough for Piper.

It was likely the only thing keeping Piper from tearing through the Underworld to get to her mate, the two members of her family that needed her to keep them safe at that very moment.

Emma waited till Piper and Henry were upstairs before she headed to the door now being pounded on, more than a bit surprised Zelena hadn't just blasted it off its hinges, and opening it, Zelena nearly falling through it at the sudden opening.

"Zelena?!" Robin gaped, acting startled.

Regina merely crossed her arms and eyed her sister, "So...someone finally did you in."

Zelena glared at her, "Sorry to disappoint, but I'm very much alive."

"Then how did you get here?" Robin demanded.

"Through a portal. And I didn't come alone."

"Who else is here?" Regina asked, tensing as though she was expecting Zelena had brought more enemies with her.

Zelena smirked at Robin, "Our baby."

"I know she's not mine, Zelena," Robin cut her off with a glare, beyond furious she would still try to pull that on him, "Regina had the test run. I saw the results myself."

"You don't think she faked them?" Zelena taunted.

"I trust her," Robin said, not a single doubt in his mind about it. Regina would not do that to him, not about one of his children, not when it was so important to him, he knew that in his very soul.

Zelena pouted after a moment, "So you found out," she rolled her eyes, admitting the truth of it, before smirking, "I must say he was a far better lay than you…"

"Is there a point to this?" Regina cut in.

Zelena took a breath, seemingly reminded of her child, which was all the sign to them that she wasn't ready to be a mother if she could get so off track about the separation and her fear for its safety that taunting them was more important, "She's in danger. And I know you heroes would never let that stand."

Regina and Robin shared a glance, Regina catching Emma's eye by the door and sending her a subtle nod that it was time, before she and Robin moved to grab their things, Robin's bow and arrow among them.

"Where are you going?" Zelena demanded when they headed to the door without another word, thinking they were ignoring her plea.

"To find your daughter," Robin grit out.

"What about a tracking spell?" Zelena frowned, it would take far too long to find the child without one.

"We don't have anything of the child's," Regina reminded her.

"I don't need magic," Robin added, "I can find her. I lived for years in the forest. I can track anyone. I will find your daughter."

Emma remained standing rigidly until the three of them had gone through the door before she shut it behind them.

"Did it work?" Henry called as he and Piper moved back down the stairs, the child dozing happily in Piper's arms, content and warm.

"Yeah," Emma nodded, before she looked at Piper, "We'll find Gold," she promised, "I think I may know where he is."

"Where?" Hook asked.

"That cavern," Emma walked over to the picture on the page, tapping on it, "It's familiar, I've been there. It's not the mines though, and the only other caves I've been in in Storybrooke was the cave where Regina kept Maleficent," she looked at Piper, "That's where he is, and that's where we'll find him."

~8~

As it turned out, in a bout of luck for Hook more than anyone, it didn't take all that much for him and Emma to find Gold and return to the apartment. Even though Hook had volunteered to help rescue Gold, he hadn't been thrilled for it, he'd been anxious the entire way as he'd only JUST escaped from Hades himself and now he was heading back in, possibly in danger of confronting the god, and it was a fool's errand to him. But Emma was determined and he wouldn't leave her to face the dangers of Hell alone and Emma would have been alone if he had not joined her.

The only way Emma had managed to convince Piper to remain behind was promising that she'd give Piper free reign to do anything she thought necessary to rescue them all if she got captured by Hades. And given how...imaginative the fish could be about torture, he might have almost feared for Hades in that case.

Thankfully, the squid ink had appeared to wear off enough for Gold to magically transport himself out of the cavern, though not enough that he could go back to the apartment. His magic had managed, at the first instance it could, to get him as far away from Hades as possible, depositing him just outside the doors of the library but no further. Apparently Hades' lair was in the basement of the Underbrooke Library, just as Emma had declared Maleficent's cave was the one from the picture.

It had been luck that Emma and Hook had reached him when they did and not before they had already entered the Library and missed him, sure to be heading into a trap instead. They had just reached the street when he appeared in his swirl of smoke, stumbling, still half caught in the effects of the squid ink. Hades might not be able to bring living things to the Underworld with him, but the ink was not alive, either that or Pan had sold out his son and provided the ink to the Lord of the Underworld himself. Both were possible.

"Rummy!" Piper nearly sagged with relief as she stood from the couch when the door opened to the apartment and Emma walked in, Gold's arm over her shoulder to help stabilize him. He'd grown more surefooted, the effects wearing off the longer he walked, but the stairs up to the apartment had taken some doing.

"Pip," he breathed, reaching for her as she approached, hugging her tightly though careful of the child still nestled in her arms, "It worked," he sighed with relief, seeing the bundle.

When he realized Hades was trying to bring Zelena's child to the Underworld he had hoped that no one in Storybrooke, none in their right mind at least, would leave Zelena's baby unattended. As far as the town was concerned, Regina had banished the woman to Oz shortly after Hook awoke as the Dark One, there was no mother or father to care for it, and with Regina as the next of family being unavailable...the child was sure to go to the Nuns and their care for the time being. He had hoped someone would be tending to it, holding it, and that it would affect the spell Hades was trying to cast to open a portal to Storybrooke.

Hades wanted the child, just the child, so if another person came through, the portal would react and deposit them elsewhere. He had tried to control his magic, the magic tied to his blood, to put his intent into it that the child be brought somewhere safe and all he could think of was Piper and their child and how it would be so protected with her as its mother.

It seemed it had been enough and the child had appeared with Piper.

The smile that grew across his face, however, had nothing to do with the child or the success of momentarily thwarting Hades, but with the look in Piper's eyes, the fire burning within it. He chuckled under his breath to see it, for it was a familiar sight to him, one she wore when others had harmed or threatened him and she was silently promising retribution.

He would not want to be Hades.

"Who else came through?" he looked around.

"Zelena," Emma told him with a frown.

"You ok, grandpa?" Henry moved over to help get the man sitting on the couch.

"I'll be alright, Henry," Gold told him, nearly falling onto the cushions, practically exhausted. It took much out of him to use his magic while being partially affected by squid ink, like trying to fight someone underwater while running out of air. Finding out Zelena had come through as well was not helping anything either. He would have taken even the Blue Fairy over having to deal with Zelena.

"Regina and Robin are leading Zelena away," Emma added, watching as Piper sat beside Gold, Zelena's baby very content and dozing which brought a small smile to her face.

"Good," Gold nodded, "Hades wanted her baby for a reason. There are a number of spells that require a newborn, none of them good."

"YOU want to protect the child?" Hook eyed him as though he didn't know who this man was.

Gold scoffed, "I want to protect our advantage," he countered, "If Hades gets the child, he will use it for something and it will not be good for us. I would like to live to return to the land above if you don't mind."

THAT made more sense to the pirate.

"Emma!" someone shouted from outside the door moments before Snow and David burst in, "We can talk to Neal!"

"Um…" David faltered, seeing Regina and Robin gone, Gold looking exhausted on the couch, and a baby in Piper's arms, "Our Neal, our baby," he added, as he'd been about to at the sight of Gold, not wanting the man to think they meant his son and get his hopes up.

"What…what happened?" Snow asked hesitantly as she, too, eyed the baby.

"Hades had a mishap with a portal spell," Piper said simply.

"Yes, he wanted to conjure Zelena's baby to himself, unfortunately brought Zelena with it and threw off the end coordinates," Gold added.

"Zelena's here?!" Snow gaped.

"I though Regina banished her to Oz?" David frowned.

"She did," Emma sighed, rubbing her head, "And she is. Regina and Robin are taking care of it."

"A wild goose chase, as it were," Hook clarified at their confused looks.

"She wanted them to help her find the baby," Henry added, the two still didn't look like they were following, "Mom didn't think we should tell her the baby was here, so she and Robin are 'tracking her' somewhere else."

"Oh," Snow nodded, "Ok."

"And…the reason she's holding it?" David, of course, just had to ask, still eyeing Piper. The revelation that she had been responsible for the carnage and devastation at the Frontlands still very clear in his mind. To do that to a town of adults was one thing, but…there had been children there too…

"It was screaming and she has a superpower of putting people to sleep by humming," Emma deadpanned, "Does it matter who holds her? Aunt P won't hurt her."

"I wouldn't hold my breath," David muttered.

"David..." Snow frowned at him. She...had to admit she was also disturbed to learn about some of the more horrible things Piper had done in the Forest, but with Neal so fresh in her mind she couldn't help but think about how Piper had babysat their son, had helped save him from Zelena...

Piper narrowed her eyes at him, keeping her attention on him even as she spoke to Henry, "Henry, would you like to explain to the Shephard why I would not harm this baby?"

"She's my cousin," Henry said simply, he wasn't happy to hear about this Frontlands place, could guess what happened there, but this was specifically about this baby and why she was safe and reminding his grandfather about something that should have been glaringly obvious that the man seemed to keep forgetting, "She's my mom's sister's daughter. My mom's niece, which makes her MY cousin. She's part of MY family, and therefore part of Aunt P's. And Sirens…"

"Protect their family," Henry, Emma, and Gold said as though reciting a very old lesson for the hundredth time, and truly it was by now, there was only so many times they could say that before it either sunk in or got old.

"Seriously dad," Emma gave him a look, "Your entire kingdom was safe because Piper loved her cousin. The Dark One was never going to destroy it while it was important to Snow White, because she was Piper's cousin. Piper was never a danger to your kingdom or your people either, because they were Snow's. YOU were the ones who thought the worst of her, who doubted her first. NONE of this would have happened, nothing with the Queens of Darkness or me becoming the Dark One or Hook being in the Underworld if you had just left her alone."

"How many times have villains turned or attacked because of something heroes did first?" Henry asked, sounding genuinely curious, like he really wanted to know the answer to the question he'd only just thought to ask. He looked between his grandparents, "You can't keep thinking the worst about Aunt P and grandpa," he flat out told them, "Or you're just going to keep pushing them away and pushing them to push BACK," he sat a little straighter, as though daring them to counter his next words, "I trust her with my life and with my safety."

"Me too," Emma nodded, "With Henry's and mine. I'd trust her with Neal's too."

David frowned as he looked at his daughter and grandson, then over to the baby in Piper's arms, not knowing what to say to that.

"I..." Snow began.

"Don't," Emma cut in, giving Snow a look, "Don't say it. Don't say you trust her with Neal, when you said it before and lied."

"It wasn't a lie," Snow said quietly, for back then she truly had trusted Piper with Neal's life...it was just...somewhere along the line she found herself not trusting anyone with her son's life, not even Emma.

"But it changed," Emma amended, "If you're not sure, if you're not firm about it, don't say it. You'll just make it worse later."

Snow fell silent at that.

Emma nodded, reassured that Snow was at least taking her pledge to be better with Piper, to fix things, seriously and trying to be considerate of the things she said so she didn't offer any false promises. She took a breath, deciding to try and get them off the topic of that baby and onto another one they'd clearly been eager to bring up when they'd burst in, "You said something about talking to Neal?"

"Yes!" Snow smiled, not quite the beam she'd entered with, but pleased nonetheless, "We were in the diner and the Blind Witch told us about a phonebooth that lets you um…haunt," she winced at the term, "Someone living."

"Talk to them, more like it," David offered, trying to make it sound less horrifying to 'haunt' a baby.

"You...can do that?" Emma eyed them, not wanting to sound disbelieving but also not wanting them to get their hopes up if it wouldn't work, "You can talk to the real world?"

"Yes," Snow nodded, "Or...well, no. I don't know."

"Well, we at least need to try," David reached out to put his hand on the small of her back in support.

"I just need him to hear our voices."

"He will," Emma assured them as she stood from where she'd moved to sit on the armrest of the couch next to Henry, "As soon as we make it back home."

"Emma, when will that be?" Snow argued, "We went through this with you. For all those years, if you had just heard our voices...would that have made a difference, knowing someone out there loved you?"

"I would imagine it would make little difference after abandoning one's child," Piper remarked dryly.

"We didn't have a choice," David frowned at her, "There was a Curse coming and..."

"I am not speaking of Emma."

Snow froze, frowning at Piper, "We didn't abandon Neal."

"Did you not?" Piper challenged calmly, unaffected by the topic and the devastation it was bound to create in Snow White, "You left him behind, without any thought to who would support or look after him in your absence, I believe that is the definition of 'abandon.' Why else would he be in the Nun's care? Are they not the ones who watch over abandoned children?"

"He's with the nuns?" Snow breathed, sounding heartbroken to think that.

Emma winced, but nodded, recognizing the room she'd seen in Henry's picture now. She'd seen it once, when she'd first gotten to Storybrooke, when she had been trying to help Hansel and Gretel, at one point she had gone to the Nuns to see if they could take the children in instead of Regina sending them over the townline. The nuns had shown her the part of the church that was reserved for the orphans, both the children and the babies, "Yes," she told her mother.

"The fact that you didn't know who was caring for your child?" Gold looked at them, "That's textbook abandonment. Trust me, I would know."

Piper reached over and took his hand, the wound already healing, as she gripped it, knowing he said the last part not out of spite but understanding.

"Did you even wonder?" Piper had to ask, for she knew that question had eaten her mate alive for centuries, constantly wondering if Bae was safe, where he was, if he was being cared for by anyone. She knew this would hurt her cousin to be confronted with, but the Siren in her cried out to protect her family, even it if meant protecting them FROM parts of the family, and if Neal was going to continually be abandoned because his parents could not see that that was what they were doing...she would not stand for it, "For the ones who could barely stand to part with him for even an hour to run off to the Underworld or Quests in Camelot without batting an eye, that is quite something."

"You have no right..." David began, glaring at her.

"So you may harp on my worst qualities but I cannot point out yours?" Piper shot back.

David stepped back as though he'd been slapped.

"I um..." Emma took a breath, seeing how truly startled David appeared, how devastated Snow White was, "She has a point," she had to say.

The whole point of her becoming the Dark One was to force them to realize the things about themselves that they refused to face, this was one of them. To constantly put down the villains and use their crimes as a reason for it, yet never accepting their own faults.

Emma couldn't help but look over at Piper in the silence that followed, knowing the woman had been looking for her for almost thirty years to give her just that, a family that would never leave her, that would protect her through everything. She knew her parents loved her, she knew they had no choice but to send her through the wardrobe and she wouldn't regret that because it gave her Henry...but a part of her would always be that abandoned girl wondering why her parents hadn't wanted her enough to keep her.

"Go try it," she spoke up after a moment, maybe it would help Neal, to hear their voices, to know they hadn't meant to abandon him, who knew, "We'll keep working on things here and come get you if Regina and Robin show up before you're back."

Snow White was silent even as she gave Emma a small nod, before David moved to take her hand, the two leaving the room in silence.

The moment was broken when Henry, who had been quiet through most of the last part of the conversation, let out a breath, "I'm glad I wasn't the only one who noticed they did that," he had to admit.

He didn't know if he'd have the ability to bring that up to his grandparents, knowing how sensitive a topic it was for them regarding Emma, he was just glad Piper had said something, because he wasn't the only one who noticed how they ran off to 'be the heroes' and left Neal behind with Granny or the Dwarves.

Piper reached out to squeeze his shoulder, "It is better to say it now than let it continue," she said, "They would not like what would happen then."

"What?" Hook asked, a bit of a scoff in his words, feeling pained for the heroes. His own father had abandoned him and his brother as children, but David and Snow White were good people, heroes, and, at times sacrifices had to be made for the greater good. They sacrificed time with their son to save their kingdom, which was more than his own father had, "You'll steal the child from them?"

Piper didn't rise to the bait, only hummed to herself, Gold lifting her hand to press a kiss to the back of it, the man all too aware of what exactly what Piper would do if Snow and David did not change their ways.

There would be no need to steal the child, to further be labeled a villain or have others confront her to take the child back, no...there were legal avenues she could pursue instead if it ever came down to it.

~8~

Compared to the morning, the evening was far calmer in the Underbrooke apartment. Regina and Robin had returned nearly the same time as Snow and David, had enough presence to inform them that they had been successful in luring Zelena off, before they'd gotten distracted by the baby, Regina taking to her role as Aunt very well. Apparently they had led Zelena all over the Underbrooke, until the woman got frustrated with their lack of success and took them to the underworld version of her house to try and find something there to help find the baby. It had been there that Regina had finally managed to crack through enough of Zelena's armor to get her to admit why Hades was after the child in the first place.

The time travel spell Zelena had used before, Hades knew about it and she believed he wanted her daughter so he could enact his own version of it. Apparently he was just as vengeful as Zelena, only this time she was sure his vengeance had turned against her as well. She claimed that Hades once had love in his heart, but that it was gone because of her and this was his way of taking revenge, by using HER daughter for his spell. Robin had been quick to point out that Hades would likely keep tabs on her and that if she found the child he would know, hoping to buy them time and keep Zelena from hunting the child down further.

In a surprising twist, Zelena had broken and agreed to split up, to let them keep tracking her child while she drew Hades' attention away from them. He would be more keen to have her in his clutches than them. She didn't care, she'd said, if they found the child and refused to ever let her see the girl again, just to find her and keep her safe from Hades.

They had waited to see if Zelena was genuine about it...and it appeared she was. She had gone off into the woods and so they had quickly magicked themselves back to the apartment, leaving Zelena to think they were still searching.

Snow and David, however, didn't have as much good news to share. They had found the phone booth, they had made a call to Neal, but they had no idea if it even worked or was for nothing.

Emma shifted somewhat as she sat on an armchair, Hook behind her with his hand on her shoulder, Piper and Gold on the couch while Regina and Robin cooed after the baby in the kitchen area. Now that there was no vile connection to the child, Robin seemed more at ease and accepting of it. Not that he hadn't been before, but there had always been that lingering fact that Zelena had all but raped him to conceive the child and while he would never blame it, it was hard to look at the child and not be reminded of that fact and how twisted Zelena was to take Marian's form to trick him after she murdered the woman herself. Now though, while the event still happened, the child had not resulted from it and it was easier for him to enjoy time with it and Regina as well. Regina had had an equally hard time around the child, a reminder that it was her soulmate's by another woman, but now it was merely her niece and that weight was lifted off the both of them. Snow and David merely watched on in silence from the table.

Emma let out a breath, she had been hoping to speak to Piper and Gold off to the side while the others were distracted but Hook wouldn't leave her side and so she was stuck. It didn't seem to bother Gold and Piper who were quietly speaking to one another, uncaring if anyone heard them.

Gold sighed, taking Piper's hand in his own, "I'm sorry, Pip."

She turned her head to him, "What for?"

For the briefest second he was hit with the reminder that her question was genuine. She truly did not fault him for Hades capturing him and using his blood to further complicate this entire mess. Others would assume he'd joined up with Hades behind her back, others would think it was a ploy or a plot or a cover up, that he intentionally made it seem like he'd been captured just to get the accusation off himself. They would wonder what nefarious deal he'd made or what plan he had going in the back of his mind to get something out of all this.

Not Piper. She truly didn't think that at all. She took him at his word, after so many years of him refusing to lie to her, not that he could. Her Siren magic made her very adept at hearing the smallest of changes in a person's voice and tone to connect to the emotion they felt. He could never, and would never, lie to her and to see her not blame him, not instantly assume the worst…he really shouldn't be surprised, not with her. He supposed he had just been at the receiving end of such from the heroes for too long now that it had worn at him.

It was just...every now and then, when there was a very particular moment, some situation where it looked bad and worse for him, when it would make sense to jump to things…when she didn't, it hit him in the gut to know he had someone who truly was on his side and trusted him.

"It was my blood that brought Zelena here," he replied after a moment, once the feeling passed.

"That was Hades," Piper reminded him, "I do not think you were a willing participant."

"No," he agreed.

"It does, however, pose an answer to our challenge of returning to Storybrooke, so perhaps we should thank him one day," she smirked, the edge in it telling him her version of 'thanking' Hades would be the farthest thing from being thankful it could get.

He chuckled, just imagining the ways she would try to see how much her magic could affect a god.

She was right though, Hades had inadvertently revealed a way home, a portal cast from his blood. HE could get them all home when the time came, it was a way out. They merely couldn't leave just yet, not with Hades still a threat, not with Emma's name on the tombstone binding her to this plane. They would have to destroy Hades first and then return, so they had time to investigate ways out in the meantime.

"It doe also pose a new challenge," Piper continued, "He conjured you from your shop. He took us both from Milah, which means he could summon any of us to him on a whim."

"But he hasn't, because he's toying with us," Gold agreed, that DID put a hindrance on their plans, to know that Hades could magically pull any of them from the others and deposit them wherever he wished, to not know when or if it would be coming, that it could happen at any moment…

He would need to make another trip to his shop for some items to enchant that could prevent that.

"How he became a lord of anything with such dismal intellect is beyond me," Piper mused, earning a look from Gold as she smirked, "To toy with the Pied Piper? With the Dark One? Perhaps even with the Evil Queen? It will not end well for him."

"No," he agreed, a dark edge in his smirk now, lifting her hand to press a kiss to the back of it, ignoring the way Hook was glowering at them, "No, it shall not."

"Do you know if Zelena's given her a name yet?" Snow asked Regina, if just for something to say that could help distract all of them.

"I'm not sure," Regina answered, "She didn't say one."

"Probably for the best," Robin remarked, "Hades can do things with names."

"Like put them on tombstones to keep people from leaving here," she muttered.

Robin looked around at the others, "I don't even think it's wise to keep her in this apartment. I mean, what if Zelena changes her mind?"

"Then we kill her," Piper said simply. The child, she would protect, its mother not so much. She had a feeling Henry would care more about his cousin than his Wicked Aunt at the moment, especially when said aunt had been responsible for the death of his father.

"I hate to be the one to offer optimism," Hook cut in before anyone could bring up that they should not and likely would not kill Zelena, "But from what you said, it sounds like she was sincere."

Regina nodded, "She was, but that doesn't mean what she knows can't come back to bite us," she agreed with Robin, "We've decided Robin will take her to the forest."

"Honestly, it's the only place I've ever felt really at home," Robin agreed. The child wasn't his, but he still cared about her, and he knew more ways to hide in the forest, and hide from magic in a forest, than the others did. It was a sound plan to keep Zelena thinking the child was with all of them so, if she somehow teamed up with Hades, they'd be more focused on here with more forces against them than seeking him out in the woods.

"It happened!" Henry suddenly shouted as he ran down the stairs with a pile of papers in hand.

"You wrote more?" Piper guessed, she and Gold getting up to join the boy and see what he'd created this time.

"It happened again!" Henry nodded.

"Anything about Hades?" Emma asked.

"No," Henry sighed, "But…I think this'll make up for it," he turned to Snow and David, "Take a look," he offered them the pages…with depictions of baby Neal on it. He wasn't comfortable with the knowledge they'd basically abandoned the child, but it was his Uncle, and he wanted to know that the boy was ok and was happy, and now he did.

"Snow, look at this," David gasped.

"It's Neal!" Snow White exclaimed.

"Why did you write this?" David turned to Henry.

"I doubt the boy did," Gold remarked.

"It's like before," Henry nodded, "I didn't, or I just don't remember. It just...wrote itself. Like it did this morning," he turned and handed Piper one of the pages.

"'The infant son of Snow White and Prince Charming looked up at the tiny glass unicorns as they stirred by the wind,'" she read, "'But on this night, he didn't hear the chime of the crystal. Instead, he heard the voices of his mother, Snow White, and his father, Prince Charming. They sang a lullaby until he fell asleep as soundly as if he were in their arms.'"

"He heard us," Snow gasped with a smile, turning to her husband, "He heard us."

"Hush Little Prince," Piper murmured.

"How did you know?" David looked up at her, there wasn't anything about which song they sang to Neal in the papers, not that he saw.

"It was the lullaby our fathers would sing to us when we could not abed," Piper remarked, glancing at Snow, "Princess instead of Prince."

"I remember," Snow smiled at the memory.

"Thanks, Henry," David beamed at him.

Snow sniffled and straightened, "I don't know about anyone else, but I am really ready to get back home to my family, my whole family. No more waiting. We can save ourselves. We're going to take down Hades, and we're going to do it now."

Piper merely smirked and gave a simple nod, "About time."

A/N: So much happening! Lol :) The baby appearing in Piper's arms really was a stroke of luck for the heroes, and not just in the sense that it took an advantage from Hades or protected it from Zelena but...if it hadn't happened there is no doubt Piper would have torn down the Underworld to get to Gold. I would almost pay to see that happen, but the baby appeared and is technically Henry's family, enough that Piper considers it to be, and so she'd guard it and Henry from the rapidly approaching Zelena lol :)

Good thing Gold had enough sense of mind to get out there as soon as he could and not wait till the ink wore off fully. I can say there was no deal, no going behind anyone's back, Hades did zap Gold to him and use Squid Ink to freeze him so he could obtain his blood. I know he's immortal and only the Dagger can harm him, but I would figure in the realm of the dead that Hades might have enough sway over something like 'never dying' to at least get some blood off of Gold for the portal, against his will :(

I hope you liked the point Piper brought up about abandoning children. It bothered me how often Snow and Charming did that with Neal. I mean, on the one hand, I get that they would not want him anywhere near hell, but on the other hand they took him through a twister/portal not knowing if it would actually get them to Camelot or if they'd even survive the trip so... :/ And then, IN Camelot, they kept rushing off on quests and leaving him who knew where with who knew who, in a castle where they didn't know who might be an ally or a foe. Like the first night there Percival tries to kill Regina and it doesn't strike Snow or Charming as a reason to keep their child with them at all times? :/ They left that poor boy alone a lot which was really noticeable to me considering how, in this story especially, Snow really had a hard time leaving Neal's side for even a date night. In the show she barely wanted Charming to hold their son, forget about Emma or anyone else...and then they just kept going off without him.

I do not in any way want Neal harmed, and they got into some very tricky spots where his life would have been in danger...but maybe that would have been a sign to them to step back and NOT be the heroes on the frontlines? Maybe? Trust others, send out guards, send the Dwarves, anyone so that they and Neal wouldn't be in a situation like that :/

I felt like Piper, with how long she spent trying to find Emma so the girl WOULDN'T be abandoned, and being pregnant in her own right and not able to imagine going anywhere without her child...she'd bring that up. Because, really, NOW they care about checking in on Neal? They've been in the Underworld how long by this point and it's NOW that they start to worry about Neal? :/

I also wanted to put in that tiny line about how the heroes 'wouldn't like what would happen next' if they kept abandoning Neal, because Piper is dead serious. She genuinely doesn't know if Snow and David realize what they're doing, abandoning their child repeatedly. So she brings it up, because if it doesn't change, if they don't STOP doing that, she knows herself well enough to know she's going to start feeling that instinct to protect Neal FROM his parents. She does not want Neal in the Underworld, not at all...but Snow and Charming didn't have to be there in the first place. They came for Emma and abandoned Neal in the process. If they don't change their ways, Piper is very likely to seek legal action and obtain custody of Neal and she would have ample proof of how Snow and Charming kept leaving the child, because if he's with the Nuns and they take in abandoned children...it's sort of right there :/

She doesn't want it to come to that, because she doesn't want to do anything to Neal that could harm him down the road and a battle for custody could last and impact him. But it IS there at the back of her mind :(

I also hope you liked Emma and Henry bringing up to Charming how he has to stop assuming the worst or it's just going to push people down that path and create the villains and their plots. Them thinking the worst is what caused them to go down a path that pushed the villains to their attacks and, had they had more faith like heroes should, it would have all been avoided. Henry brings up a good point, they should maybe consider if there were any villains who did what they did almost in retaliation to what a hero did to them first. A curious thing to look at, since we know Snow's actions first started Regina down her path of villainy.

Piper, oh boy, she really bit into Charming with just a single sentence, forcing the hypocrisy to the forefront and bringing up his own less-than-light tendencies. They can harp on her shortcomings but heaven forbid she bring up theirs? :/

And just a quick little tease, the next episode-chapter will be a little more original since Belle isn't here, there's no real reason for people who have her as unfinished business to be used in that chapter. So we'll get something else, perhaps those who have some rather unfinished business involving Gold…and Regina }:)

Some notes on reviews...

Lol, we'll have to wait and see who gives David his much needed kick ;) But I can say Thomas from chapter 25 is not Cinderella's Prince Thomas, they just have the same name ;) We'll see someone's dead parents very soon, but I won't say whose they are just yet ;)

I plan to do the Piper AU once this series is finished, so after the next Piper story is complete :) I'm so glad you're excited for it! :D I can't wait to get to it too, just picturing Piper raising Emma and the sort of person Emma becomes from it, the relationship with Snow as a result, oh boy }:) And I don't think that sounds bad at all, Piper giving 0 fudges is my favorite version to write, where she's just like cracking her neck and her fingers and like 'let's do this' :)

Oh we'll still see quite a bit of snarling Piper as the series goes, no worries, many more opportunities to come ;) I think the further along she gets in her pregnancy and the more heroes she's forced to be around is going to wear her patience very thin ;) The big snap moment is one I'm looking forward to as well, so I don't think it's bad, I can say when it happens it will be very, very deserved }:) Lol, I think Piper would be very angry to see the tiger because it would mean someone who wasn't her killed it. I think she'd be torn because on the one hand she probably gets a bit possessive of animals she's enchanted and therefore only SHE can kill them, but on the other hand, being half-creature, she probably would rather avoid having anything seen as a 'monster' killed :( But I do think Henry would have loved to see the tiger :)