Zelena didn't get much sleep. She was too busy, tossing and turning. As a result, the next morning had her weary and disoriented.
For a few hours, she sat in an exhausted stupor, thinking, her green eyes lazily scanning the room.
She still couldn't get over how much the Underworld resembled Storybrooke. The precision with which everything was made and detailed, it was eerily identical.
"Haven't you wondered why this place looks like Storybrooke?" He laughed, then. "I did it for you! I saw how much you wanted to cast the Dark Curse, to get everything your sister had."
It made her wonder how long he'd been keeping an eye on the heroes. On her.
She finally reasoned to herself that there was no point in staying inside. It made her look like some silly schoolgirl avoiding an awkward confrontation with the object of her affection.
Except she didn't have an object of affection.
At least, that was what she kept telling herself.
At any rate, she found herself outside, in Underbrooke's (she couldn't remember who had come up with that) downtown. She kept walking, even though she was unsure of where to go, and decided to settle in the rather gloomy version of Granny's Diner.
Might as well. It had been one of the less unpleasant places in Storybrooke.
She tried to relax, but the past twenty-four hours' events had been rather nerve wracking. She found herself deep in thought.
Hades POV
Hades watched her go, hanging back by a building corner.
Gods, he'd missed her. Actually seeing her, not just glances from the occasional scrying bowl.
As she entered the diner, he tore his eyes away, but where they settled did nothing to ease his mind.
A single, white flower.
He stalked over to the small blossom, and picked it.
Flawless. Small.
Definitely not good. Not if these were cropping up.
He hated flowers, particularly when they grew in the Underworld.
To him, it meant two things.
Hope.
And her.
Hades despised the parties on Mount Olympus. He usually didn't attend, but Zeus had pestered him endlessly to the point where he'd irritatedly accepted the invitation.
And now he lingered at the far back of the pavilion, holding a goblet of nectar simply to give his bored hands something to do other than aimlessly tapping his fingers against the marble pillars.
An action that had earned him a distasteful glance from Hephaestus.
Well, not everyone could appreciate a carved slab of rock, nephew dear, he thought.
He was considering slipping out and returning to the Underworld, though the idea wasn't much more appealing than staying.
He didn't want to be in that place any longer than was necessary.
He looked around the pavilion, feeling that same spike of jealousy.
This place could have been his.
Damn Zeus and Poseidon both, the cheats.
Instead, he was stuck in the place no one wanted to be.
The Underworld.
"Excuse me, can I stand here?"
Hades pulled himself out of his rumination to meet a pair of brown doe eyes belonging to an innocent-looking young woman, her dark hair curled into black ringlets. He was slightly caught off-guard, to say the least.
"What?"
She turned pink. "I, um, I don't really know anyone here, so I thought I'd-"
"Talk to the God of Death?" Ha. Let's see her reaction to that, shall we? he thought, amused.
Taken aback, she stammered, "W-wait, you're-"
"Hades? Brother of Zeus? Scourge of Olympus? That would be me," he said, winking.
She seemed at a loss for words.
"My apologies. I'm being rude." He gave a slight bow. "I haven't seen you around here before. You're…?"
"Persephone."
"Ah, Demeter's daughter. I was beginning to wonder whether you were a mere myth or not."
She gave a strained smile. "Mother is...well, protective, to say the least. I don't really get to socialize much."
"That must feel like living in a cage."
She laughed. "Oh, absolutely. I rarely get a moment of peace."
"You could live in a place where people walk around and moan about everything they wish they could've done," Hades offered. "That's what I do."
"Yes, the Underworld…That's where all the souls with unfinished business go, isn't it?" she asked.
It wasn't often someone was curious about the Underworld. It was a little disconcerting, if he wanted to be honest.
"Yes, it is. A rather unattractive place to be, really."
"You couldn't make it… I don't know, prettier?"
He had to smile at that. "Prettier?" he repeated.
"I don't know, grow flowers or something."
He chuckled. "Easier said than done. Things don't grow in the Underworld without difficulty."
"I could help."
Before he could reply, a woman that was an older, sterner-looking version of Persephone edged her way through the crowd.
"Hello, Demeter," Hades said pleasantly as she came up scowling. Demeter ignored him.
"Persephone! Where have you been?"
Persephone cringed in frustration. "Talking to Lord Hades, Mother," she said, an undertone of irritation in her voice.
Demeter glared at Hades, as if it was his fault. She instantly began to steer Persephone away.
"Don't talk to him," he heard her hiss to her daughter. Persephone glanced back at him.
He winked in response.
Hades stared at the flower in his hand.
This was unacceptable.
There was too much hope in the Underworld.
He had to end it.
He turned and made his way towards the animal shelter, an idea already forming.
Several hours later, Hades paced in his throne room.
He'd gotten rid of the hope, and the flowers had shriveled to dried husks.
He breathed a little easier.
She wasn't here. That was good.
Zelena stared quizzically at the silver platter sitting on her table. Warily, she lifted it, expecting something foul to be under the lid.
To her surprise, a withered, dried flower lay in the middle, a cream-colored card with her name inscribed next to it.
She picked it up, touching the dried petal gingerly.
In spite of herself, she found herself smiling.
Review, please!
This is going to be an alternate ending to 5B, because what happened in 5x21 was inexcusable.
I have a huge plotline and all sorts of shenanigans planned for y'all!
But it's good shenanigans. Promise.
So enjoy!
Playlist update: 161 songs, 24 followers
Shoutout to Ragingstillness for suggesting six songs for the playlist!