AN: See chapter 1 for story notes and summaries.

Ships: Snowing, Rumbelle, Swan Believer, Swanfire, Daddy Charming, Mama Snow, HadesxPersephone, Mama Persephone, and a delightful Golden Mad Charming BroT3. :)

Please consider leaving a review. Feedback is much appreciated and vital. Reviews have dropped a bit, but any feedback you can give is much appreciated.

Also, feel free to follow me on Tumblr lilacmoon83.

Special note:

Here are the main face claims that we're dealing with right now. For other minor Gods/Goddesses/characters, see previous chapters:

Gal Gadot as Persephone

Robert Downey Jr. as Hades

Ben Affleck as Prince Eli

Rami Malek as Apollo

Drew Barrymore as former Queen Serafina

Note: Three years have now passed since the previous chapter's events.

Thanks for awesome the reviews. Again, please consider leaving feedback. I love writing this story, but a lot of hard work in my free time goes into getting weekly chapters up, so reviews are really gratifying. Unless you're a troll. Troll comments will be deleted.

Here are individual responses:

Grace5231973: I prefer Hook the father too. That's why I decided to send him away so he could come back with Alice. Yep, they have badly underestimated Emma for sure. Hopefully, they'll fall on their faces. Glad you like the Republic type government. It's obviously not without problems or corruption, but people have a voice at least and it works in many of the Kingdoms. We definitely might see some rebelling. I've started with flashbacks to build on a story line people probably think I forgot about and I've begun to lay the groundwork toward the coming demise of one particular Kingdom. :)

Saberius Prime: Yep, Killian is pretty much a changed man. I think there's a little gray in all our heroes though. Funny you've mentioned Gothel, cause you get your wish and if and that's a big if right now, I will probably go with a more Tangled-esque version of Rapunzel if I bring her in. :)

Jennifer Baratta: Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. Ravenna is going to eventually pay, Arthur is definitely dangerous, and Greg is playing with fire he doesn't understand.

Number Ten: Ha, well all aboard the crazy Ravenna train. Her time is coming to a head and she's going to definitely get what's coming to her for what she's planning to do. Yep, going after Emma is a really bad idea, but then Landon is just an idiot and Greg is blinded by his need for revenge. Yep, Hook has changed in the three years and now has given up revenge in favor of fatherhood. :)

Naomi Blue: If you're waiting for Camelot to be exposed, you'll be happy to know that that slowly begins in this chapter. Yep, Hook has given up revenge for fatherhood. The end will come soon for Greg and Landon as well. :)

Dreaming Out Loud

Chapter 117: The Tower

"Wait...so you were looking for this golden flower, which can trap someone in a place, and encountered a princess in a tower with long hair?" Emma asked, as they ate, while Killian explained how Alice came to be. It was pretty obvious to all of them that Hook had definitely changed, though it wasn't too surprising. Parenthood was the one thing that could create such drastic change in a person. It was one of the few things that could become more important than anything, even revenge.

"Aye...why is that amusing?" he asked.

"It's just...was her name Rapunzel?" Emma asked. He looked surprised.

"Yes...or at least that's what she told me. How did you know that name?" he asked.

"Rapunzel...it's a pretty well known fairy tale," she replied.

"Ah that...well, somehow I doubt they got this one right either, because the next morning, Rapunzel was no more. In her place was a witch named Gothel and my child in her arms," he explained.

"That's quite an acceleration in pregnancy, but I guess we all know that magic can do just about anything," Persephone mentioned.

"Gothel is dangerous...I'm not sure I like the idea that she might come here after you. We have enough trouble with Queen Ravenna and her vendetta against our daughter," Hades said sternly.

"Papa Hades...we can't turn him away, especially if his child is in danger," Snow chided. He sighed.

"And I don't intend to, snowdrop...but Gothel is powerful and she hates humanity," Hades said.

"Wait...are you saying she isn't human?" David asked.

"She appears human, but she is really a part of a dead race of tree nymphs that were the first children of Mother Earth herself, Gaia," Persephone replied.

"Gaia was once benevolent and they lived in peace, secretly concealed away from an early race of humans. But she became very dissatisfied with humans and their mistreatment of the Earth. She and her eldest daughter, Gothel, grew very angry and bitter," he explained, as he paused for a beat.

She wanted them to pay, so with her husband Uranus...the Titans were born. But while the Titans raged against humans and nearly drove them to extinction, the Earth suffered their wrath as well. So when Uranus refused to stop his onslaught upon the Earth, Gaia implored her son Cronus to slay his father, which he did. In the process, Cronus and Rhea gave birth to the Olympians. I was their oldest son," Hades stated.

"Then you much of the rest of the story," Persephone added. He nodded.

"Yes...Zeus killed Cronus with Rhea's help to preserve humanity, but in the process, this world was stripped of its magic, thanks to Gothel. She fought us and nearly even toppled Zeus for control of Olympus. But he banished her to another realm. Before she was swept away, she cursed this land and took the magic with her," Hades explained. Realization dawned in Snow's eyes.

"That's why this land became the Land Without Magic," she said, putting it together. He nodded.

"Yes...exactly. Once Gothel was gone...Gaia was distraught and faded into the wind to become apart of the earth she once loved. The Olympians sealed the Titans away in Tartarus. Zeus was awarded control of the skies, Poseidon the seas, and me the Underworld," he continued.

"And now that the realms are United...this Mother Gothel is back?" David asked.

"My suspicion is that she resides in that magical forest that we don't know much about, as confirmed by the Captain," Persephone answered.

"I guess I did not realize the threat she was or that she could be that powerful. I had no idea she was descended from Mother Earth herself," Killian said.

"It's okay...we will not turn you and your daughter away from a better life. If Gothel is here, then it would not have mattered if you came here or not. In fact, it's better that we know of her now than let her lurk in the shadows and catch us by surprise," Persephone assured.

"I just can't believe she had a child for the soul purpose of getting free and just abandoned her," Snow said, as she cuddled her baby daughter close.

"Unfortunately...Gothel has no humanity. But if she comes here...she will meet an opposition unlike what she has faced in the past," Hades said, as he looked at Persephone.

"He's right...and I won't just banish her like Zeus did. That was the answer to problems he couldn't defeat or destroy," she added, as they watched Alice playing with Alexander nearby, while Tallie, Gideon, and Iris sat with their respective mothers.

"We wouldn't have known Gothel was free if not for you, Killian...so we owe you that. We can now make sure she doesn't get away with whatever she may be plotting," Persephone said.

"Now that she is free...you think she may try something?" Snow asked her mother.

"It wouldn't surprise me. But we'll be ready for her now that we know," Persephone answered, as the hour grew late and they soon returned home to their respective castles for the evening.

Queen Ravenna huffed in annoyance, as they disembarked from the small ocean liner. She hadn't dared to take one of the royal ships, as all those vessels had to formally log and record their voyages and she wanted this trip strictly off the books.

"I can't believe I had to be subjected to that...how disgusting," she complained, referring to the conditions on board the modest ship.

"It was a perfectly modernized cruise ship, Your Majesty," Frollo reminded.

"The silverware wasn't even real silver!" she complained and he rolled his eyes. The woman was beyond spoiled and ridiculous. He hated that he was enslaved to her and constantly had to put up with this kind of nonsense.

It wasn't hard to hire a carriage to take them from there. It seemed that this land, since they had not made contact with other realms, was still not modernized. It was all perfectly mysterious and though the driver had no inkling about the object they were seeking, Frollo's research told him it was east of the Harbor.

"It will be a few hours until we come to the place you described," the coachman called to them. Ravenna growled, as she looked out the window in boredom.

"You better be right about this," she hissed, as the carriage continued on its journey.

David opened the door to the loft and showed Hook in, as he carried one meager bag and his daughter in his arms.

"Are you sure, mate?" he asked. He nodded.

"The loft was and is a special place for us. It was our first home together with Emma, besides the dreamscape," he replied. They had struggled with the decision on whether or not to sell it in the last three years and decided not to. They had kept it furnished and hired someone to keep it clean until they could let go of it. But now that Hook had come back with his own family to raise, they knew why they had hung onto it for so long and Snow felt this exactly what the reformed pirate and his little girl needed.

"That's what I mean...this place has a lot of memories for you and your lot," Hook mentioned.

"It does...and we have been reluctant to let it go. I think we've been waiting for the right person and tonight, he came along," David said. Hook looked truly touched by that.

"This will be a good start for you and Alice," he said, as he handed him the keys.

"We'll take care of it and enjoy it, I promise you that," Killian assured. David nodded.

"Oh and since I'm sure you need a job, come by the castle tomorrow. I'm sure I have something," he said. Hook nodded.

"And Alice?" he asked. David smiled.

"I'm sure my parents will happily watch one more," David said, as he left them.

"Well starfish...welcome home," he said, as he ventured upstairs, only to find that the loft was ready for a little girl to live in and he was touched again. It seemed that Snow had arranged it all in a very short amount of time, though she was Queen and had the power to do such now.

"Papa look!" Alice called, as she pointed to the chess set on the table.

"Well, I suppose we have time for a game before bedtime," he said, as he carried her into the room.

Flashback

Three Years Ago

"Magic…" she growled, as they suddenly watched the entire palace disappear. Next, the clock tower disappeared, then Granny's, and everything on Main Street. The magic swept around them and when it was gone, there was nothing but woods around them, like there had never been a town there in the first place.

"What the hell just happened?" Channing asked. But even Circe had no answers. Storybrooke was gone, without a trace or explanation to offer. And with it, gone was her revenge, leaving her with nothing.

Strangely, just as quickly as the town had disappeared, it started to reappear again.

"What's happening now?" Channing asked, even more confused now, as they watched a bright cloud of magic sweep around them again. This time though, the clock tower reappeared, then Granny's, and everything on Main Street. The magic continued to rebuild the town with the Sheriff's station, the school, and the Toll bridge. Storybrooke was back.

"They're back," Circe observed, as Cronus' palace reappeared. It was as if they had never been gone, but she knew better. She had a feeling whatever had happened was going to have serious ramifications; to what extent, she did not know.

"Madam Circe...something is very different…" Channing called, as she saw what he was looking at. In her very long life, she had seen many things and not much surprised her anymore. But this did.

"By the Gods...what have they done?" she uttered, as there was a poof of magic and her father, Mushu, stood before her.

"Father…" she greeted evenly.

"You must leave here, my daughter," he implored.

"I'm not going anywhere...not until they pay and I destroy magic. If I can't have it...then neither can they," she hissed.

"You cannot win this. Zeus is dead and Persephone reigns supreme. Not even Cronus or the Chernabog will openly and directly challenge her," the dragon warned.

"It figures you would want me to run...it is what you do best," she snapped.

"Please, my dear daughter...they will imprison you if you do not leave and your mother has refused to help me hide you. I do not know how long I can keep them off your trail," Mushu warned.

"We will take our chances," Circe refuted.

It was the next day and business as usual resumed in the United Realms, which meant Emma and Neal resumed their daily duties at the Storybrooke Sheriff's station. But today, they were sequestered in the bug on a stakeout, because of a tip about suspicious activity at the cannery.

Emma sighed in boredom, as they were six hours in already and Neal returned with a tray of coffee and cocoa.

"Are you sure about that tip?" she asked, as she sipped at her cocoa.

"Yes...I'm sure. This is the hotspot, which makes sense. The cannery is close to the harbor," he replied. She sighed.

"I just...magical smuggling? Really?" she asked skeptically.

"Merida swears that there is a witch in her Kingdom that's fond out that selling her magical goods and items in the United Realms is even more profitable than when she was limited to Dunbroch," he replied.

"Yeah I get that...but why is she so hung up on finding this helm? And if we know this witch has it, then why don't we just go all swat team on her hovel in Dunbroch?" Emma asked. He looked at her skeptically.

"Because she's a witch and invading her turf just means we'd be dodging a bunch of magical traps I'm sure she has bugged all over the woods around her hut," he reminded. She couldn't argue with that.

"As for the helm...no idea what's so special about it other than it once belonged to her dad," he replied, as they saw movement out back of the building.

"Oh...here we go. There's the old hag now," Emma said, as they witnessed the old witch appear in a puff of smoke. But to their surprise, her customer was wearing the armor of a Knight and not just any armor.

"That's Camelot armor," Neal said.

"You think his King sent him?" Emma asked.

"My father does get quiet when Arthur is mentioned," Neal replied, which they both found peculiar.

"There it is...the helm!" Emma hissed, as they slowly got out of the car.

"Yeah...there's something else in her hand too," Neal replied, as he used his binoculars.

"Can you tell what?" she asked.

"No...it's a vial of some sort," he replied.

"Well, the helm is stolen so that's good enough. Let's move in," she said, as he pulled his sword and she moved in with her gun.

"Just give them to me, you old hag," Sir Percival hissed.

"Mind your tongue boy...or I'll relieve you of," the witch warned in her thick accent.

"Listen...you will get your payment when I get the items I require," he said.

"You mean that your King requires," she said, as she held them up.

"The magical helm of King Fergus and this…" she hissed, as she held up the vial of glittery red sand.

"Say those words, witch and I will cut out your tongue," he warned.

"No one is cutting out anyone's tongues. Hands up," Emma ordered.

"This is none of your concern, Sheriff," Percival hissed.

"This is Storybrooke, so it's exactly our business. Hands up," she ordered. But Percival lashed out with his blade and Neal stepped in to duel him.

"Hands up witch," Emma warned, but the old hag smirked and launched a blast of magic at her. Emma dodged and countered with her own.

"Ahh...the magic of the Savior. How exhilarating! But I have been practicing magic long before you were born...long before your parents were born even," she boasted, as she volleyed magical blasts at her. But Emma countered with one big one and broke through her defenses.

"Give the advantage to youth then," she quipped, as she placed a pair of magical dampening cuffs on her and picked up the helm, along with the small vial of red, glittering dust.

"What is this?" she asked, as Neal brought back a cuffed and disarmed Percival, who gave the witch a hard glare.

"I have no idea," the witch feigned ignorance.

"Yeah right...but it doesn't matter. I'm pretty sure my grandmother and step-grandfather will know what it is," she said.

"And if for some reason they don't, my dad probably will," Neal added, as they put their prisoners in the back of the bug, before getting in and taking back to the station.

After several hours, they finally came upon the garden that Frollo was looking for and it happened to be at the foot of an old tower.

"This is it...this is where the map the cauldron provided showed," he said, as they got out of the carriage.

"It better be...I'm tired of waiting!" Ravenna complained, as she stomped into the garden.

"You have about as much finesse as a raging bull," Frollo commented. She turned and glared at him, as she extracted a pouched from her dress pocket. It glowed red, reminding him once again that she held the only object that could control him. Not that he needed reminding.

"Watch your tongue and find this flower you keep telling me about," she ordered.

"May I ask how you plan to use it against your enemy?" he requested. She smirked.

"Shouldn't that be obvious? I plan to use it to trap Snow White in some incredibly horrible place. I don't know where yet...perhaps Bald Mountain. Wouldn't that be poetic? I could trap her in the place her parents created to trap you," Ravenna answered.

"An interesting plan, but you don't think the heroes will find someone less desirable to take Snow White's place and rescue her from your captivity?" he questioned.

"You're going to figure that part out for me," she snapped and he rolled his eyes.

"Of course I am…" he muttered, as he didn't notice the vine slither out and wrap around his leg. He cried out and quickly took his monstrous form and snapped the vine. Ravenna watched with trepidation, as the vines slowly gathered and formed a cocoon of sorts. It glowed briefly and became the shape of a woman that soon revealed herself.

"Easy there beastie…" the woman with blonde matted hair cooed.

"Who are you?" Ravenna demanded to know. The woman smirked.

"I am the answer to your revenge…" she said softly.

"Are you the keeper of this garden?" Ravenna questioned.

"I am…" she answered.

"Then you have the golden flower I need," the Queen said.

"I do...but the flower isn't what you want," she responded. Ravenna frowned.

"And why not?" she demanded to know.

"The flower will hold your enemies for a time, but inevitably she will escape. However, I can offer you a solution to your Snow White problem if you help me," she tempted.

"And just who are you?" Frollo questioned, as he took his human form again.

"Mmm...you have been bonded to the black God and you possess Prometheus' flame," the woman surmised.

"How do you know that?" Ravenna questioned.

"Because I was there when the Titans were born. In a way, we are related, Chernabog. We have the same mother," she revealed.

"Gaia was your mother?" Frollo asked. She nodded.

"I was her first born, during the times of peace on this planet, long before she had the need to breed the Titans. But we all fell to those deceitful, treacherous Olympians," she replied.

"I am Gothel…" she revealed.

"You would help me get revenge on Snow White?" Ravenna questioned. She nodded.

"If you free me from the confines of this place. I cannot go beyond this tower or this garden thanks to those golden flowers you seek," she responded.

"Then we need someone to take your place," Frollo surmised.

"Correct," Gothel confirmed.

"But why help us? What could you have against my wretched former step-daughter?" Ravenna questioned.

"You mean what do I have against Demeter's beloved granddaughter? Hades' adored step-daughter? Persephone's perfect little snowdrop?" Gothel questioned. Frollo smirked.

"Of course...Persephone sits on the Throne that should be rightfully yours as Gaia's first born," he said.

"What is your plan for her?" Ravenna asked eagerly. Gothel smirked and a vial of potion appeared in her hand.

"If Snow White ingests this poison...it will cripple her heart. It will ruin it beyond repair. Not even her mother can revive her from this," Gothel revealed. Ravenna's eyes gleamed with an evil glint and desire.

"You're sure?" she asked with bated breath.

"Quite," Gothel replied.

"And true love's kiss? It cannot save her either?" Ravenna questioned.

"Not even true love's kiss can overcome this poison. It's the last of my mother's own concoction. She planned to use it on Zeus...but she died before she could. Then I was saving it for a pirate...but I feel it is better used on that demi-Goddess spawn," Gothel responded.

"And any soul to take your place in that tower will do?" Ravenna questioned. Gothel smirked.

"Absolutely," she replied. Ravenna looked at Frollo and the Promethean flame glowed.

"Find me some little waif to trap in that tower," she ordered. He sighed and transformed back into his monster form, as he flew off to do her bidding.

"So, as soon as you are free...I can have that potion?" she questioned. Gothel smirked.

"I cannot reveal my presence too soon. Persephone and Hades will suspect me now that a certain pirate has absconded to Storybrooke. But the potion is yours if I can hide...or rather grow in your garden," Gothel answered.

"Done," Ravenna agreed, as their devious deal was made...

Flashback

Three years ago

Circe ran toward the Harbor at Longbourne. Her father had been right and in the weeks that followed the reappearance of Storybrooke and subsequently, the United Realms, newly minted Supreme Sheriff and King David made it his personal mission to arrest her and all her followers. She had hoped for sanctuary in Cronus' Kingdom, but he had chosen to shun her in an attempt to make it seem like he was conforming to Persephone's rule. She knew better, but for whatever reason, she no longer fit into his plans and she was on her own. Not even her traitor of a mother, Hecate, would support her and she soon realized, begrudgingly, that she should have listened to her father.

"End of the line, Circe…" David called, as he and his Knights, including Lancelot, cornered her.

"You really think I'm letting some insignificant mortal like yourself take me down?" she challenged, as she fired several plasma blasts at his Knights. One was hit, while the others dodged. She cackled, as the Knight that had been hit was now struggling to stay alive and she fired her blasts at David. But she became truly shocked when he swatted her blasts away harmlessly, as the steel of his blade blocked and absorbed her blasts effortlessly.

"How...is that possible?" she questioned in disbelief. David smirked.

"Hephaestus reforged my blade. It has a few added advantages and strengths now. Hades was specific in the modifications and your weapons are useless against mine," David replied. She seethed. So that was how he and his Knights had easily captured and arrested all her followers. She growled and fired at him wildly, as he advanced on her, blocking every blast, until she was unwillingly disarmed. Lancelot cuffed her and Hades appeared, looking at her with a smug smirk.

"You really think this is over?" she questioned.

"All your lackeys, including Calypso and your blind sheep are behind bars and you're about to join them. I'd say over is an understatement," he retorted.

"If you think that we're all that there is to this...you're sadly mistaken. This isn't over...not by a long shot," Circe warned. But Hades didn't seem concerned.

"Whoever you still have out in the Land Without Magic can't get to us here and we have no plans to venture out there," he said. But Circe's face was marred with a smirk.

"I've waited centuries for my revenge...a few more years is nothing. You'll soon know how wrong you are," she hissed under her breath.

The United Realms prison was actually a very humane place. They had three meals a day, visitation twice a week, and even a bit of free time outside. But Circe and her followers didn't really get visitors these days, with the exception of an occasional call from her father. Upon her capture, Mushu had escaped the United Realms and faded into the obscurity of the Land Without Magic. And only Circe truly knew the reason why.

Her father, dissatisfied with the rule of the Gods, had taken up her leadership of what remained of the Home Office. Unfortunately, there was some opposition they were facing outside Storybrooke and he had not been able to regain access to the United Realms as a result. But Circe continued to wait patiently. She and her father both were very good at playing the long game and she wholeheartedly believed that someday, she would be free and wage war on Olympus, as well as all the Kingdoms. She would rule or she vowed to die trying.