Disclaimer that is pointless: I own nothing, all rights to OUAT and ABC and A&E(even though they don't deserve it)
You guys are going to get two chapters because originally, it was one, but it was way too long, so I cut it in half (roughly)
Zelena twirled the card with her name written on it between her fingers.
Hades was trying to extend the olive branch, restating his offer to battle the heroes with him and retrieve her daughter.
She couldn't deny that she was sorely tempted to accept. For a few moments, she allowed herself to fantasize winning the fight against the heroes, regaining her child...
And then what? Live in the Underworld?
She didn't want her baby to grow up in a place full of bitter souls and death. Perhaps they could try and go back to Storybrooke, but she and Hades certainly wouldn't be welcome. Not to mention that Regina and the others would never stop pursuing them.
She scowled to herself, and chased away the dregs of her fantasy.
She wasn't going to get her happy ending anytime soon.
Who was she kidding, thinking that someone could love her?
Zelena rubbed a small piece of charcoal on a yellowed scrap of paper, her thirteen year old hands artfully sketching a small hill, with a large weeping willow tree sitting atop it, the branches curved and thick enough to climb.
It was the sort of place she'd always wanted to have, away from Oz, away from everything.
The banging of the door startled her, and the piece of charcoal skidded across the paper, ruining the picture.
No time to mourn her lost artwork, she crumpled the paper and tossed it into the fireplace, then scrambled to her feet.
"Zelena!" Her father staggered into the room, the smell of alcohol coming off him in waves.
Zelena stayed still, forcing an expression of neutrality over her features. "Yes, Father?"
His eyes narrowed as he stared blearily at her.
"Why are you being disrespectful?"
Confused, she was about to reply, when suddenly his fist flew out and struck her, snapping her head to the side, and she tasted blood. She lost her balance and fell to the ground.
"Get up, witch!" her father spat.
Zelena unsteadily pushed herself to her feet. Her cheek stung, and she felt tears sting her eyes. Biting her lip to keep it from trembling, she blinked away her blurry vision.
"Look at this place!" her father raged. "You didn't even clean!"
She struggled to keep from retorting that she'd spent almost as much time trying to tidy up the house as he'd spent at the bar and it wasn't her fault he decimated the place, but years of slaps had taught her to hold her tongue unless absolutely necessary.
"You're worthless," her father hissed. "How the hell am I supposed to get rid of you if there's no point to your existence? Who would possibly take you off my hands?"
Zelena said nothing. Her father slapped her again, out of frustration.
"Witch!"
A few tears found their way down her face. She hurriedly wiped them away.
Her father smacked her hands away from her face. "Don't cry," he snapped. "No one will ever love you, but they'll hate you if all you do is snivel."
He turned and stumbled away from her. "You have to put on your best face," he muttered, more to himself than to his daughter. "Even if it's no good."
Zelena hurried to her bedroom, unwilling to let him see her tears.
A soft whoosh jerked Zelena out of her thoughts, and she looked up to see Hades.
"Would you prefer I send you chocolates next time?" he asked lightly, his tone almost flirtatious.
Normally, she would have at least smiled, but she wasn't in the mood for games.
"If you were looking for a thank you, you might want to put your name on the card next time," She retorted, her words coming out far more snappish than she had intended as she set the card down on the table.
"Hmm," he said thoughtfully. "Well, I'm afraid I didn't come to woo you, Zelena, I came to warn you."
"About what?"
"You have a visitor from Oz," he said.
"What?" she said disbelievingly. "Who?"
"Let's just say a werewolf crash-landed here," he elaborated. "You know, feisty, looks good in red..."
Her heart sinks at his words. "No, that's not possible. Not after what I did to her." She paced around the kitchen, clenching and unclenching her fists.
"It have been quite, well-" he laughs. "- wicked for her to have chased you all this way."
She sighed. "Wicked doesn't begin to describe it. Whatever goodwill I've got with my sister will evaporate the moment she learns the truth of what I did to their friend..." What would happen when Regina found out? Surely she, her entourage and that bitch of a werewolf would all come after her, swords flashing with fireballs at the ready.
"I need to leave before they find me," she said suddenly, turning to face Hades.
"The Underworld? Easier said than done," he replied.
"Need I remind you, I'm very much alive," she retorted. "And I have my own way of getting home."
"And your daughter, you're just going to leave her here?"
"No, she's why I'm leaving. If I stay, if I face that wolf, I'll just do something else I'll regret-" her voice shook slightly. "-and then Regina will never let me see her again!"
"You certainly won't get your daughter back by running," Hades said. He picked up the dried flower he'd sent the previous day and took a few steps towards her.
"Stay," he whispered. "Face them."
She scoffed. "Let me guess, with you?"
"We make quite the team. You can trust me, Zelena," he said, unfazed by her indifference. He handed the flower out to her. "I'll give you everything you want," he coaxed.
"Sorry, Hades," she said. "But my time in the Underworld is over."
He tried to hide his disappointment, but it was written all over his face. Zelena felt a pang of guilt as he sighed and stepped away from her, the flower crumbling in his hand.
"Do what you must," he said, giving her a small, encouraging smile. "But just know, either way, I'm going to take care of that wolf."
And with that, he held his arms out to the side and disappeared in a plume of blue fire.
And Zelena felt the first few tears fall from her eyes.
Hades walked in circles around his throne room.
What could he say to make her believe? What could he do?
He really did love her.
Maybe it would be best if he took a few steps back. Faded into the background for a bit.
Like a guardian angel, sort of.
(Well, wasn't that ironic, considering who he was.)
Still, he should be careful, with what had happened last time.
"Lady Persephone."
She gave a jump and whirled around, the flowers she'd gathered falling from her arms.
"My apologies. I didn't mean to startle you." As he spoke, they both knelt to retrieve the fallen blossoms.
"Oh, no, it's fine," she assured him.
"I merely found it disappointing that I wasn't able to speak with you at Lord Zeus's party, and I thought I could sneak a few more words," Hades said.
She winced. "Yes, I'm sorry about that. Mother's usually rather protective of me."
"She should guard such a treasure."
Persephone blushed. "Oh, I'm not that special."
"I beg to differ." He picked up a narcissus and handed it to her, their fingertips brushing as she took it from him.
Her warm brown gaze flicked up to meet his, then she quickly glanced away.
"I'm just the goddess of springtime."
"And I'm just the disgrace to the Olympian family."
"Why is that?" she asked.
"It's funny how people end up becoming hated," he answered vaguely. "I'm not really sure, to be honest."
"That doesn't seem fair," she said softly.
"Zeus and Poseidon both cheated me out of a decent kingdom," he replied. "I stopped believing in fair awhile ago."
"Why not make it fair?" she queried. "Why not make the Underworld decent?"
"Easier said than done."
"Well, I did say I could help," she offered.
He smiled at her. "I may just take you up on that."
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