"That was David," Snow said, holding up the phone. "He's got Henry and Archie. They're fine - Archie's got a cut on his forehead, so David's running him over to the hospital just to be safe."

"Thank the Gods," Dora said.

"About that..." Regina said. "Let's talk about your old friend, Zeus, shall we?"

"Do you think I invited him here?" Dora asked warily. "I haven't seen him in centuries. And he didn't even speak to me."

"No, he didn't," Regina said, a frown creasing her forehead. "He came all this way to see you and he didn't even talk to you. Why?"

"Because he didn't come for her," Gold said dryly. "Come now, Regina. You know Zeus's reputation as well as I do. She's just another on a very long list to him. The box is what he's here for."

"Can we trap Dora's curse in the box again, and then give it to him?" Snow asked. "That seems like the ideal solution."

"It does - only it won't work." Regina looked over at Gold. "You said as much to Zeus, and he didn't disagree."

Gold looked from Regina to Dora's stricken face.

"Is it true?" Dora whispered. "Am I to always bear this burden?"

"The curse cannot be returned to the box," Rumple said. "Not without taking you with it."

"Then we'll find another way," Snow said. "It's a curse. It can be broken. You need to have hope, Dora."

Dora shook her head. "There is none. Not for me."

"We have to help her," Snow said, turning to look at Gold and Regina.

Gold gave a negligent shrug. "There's nothing to be done. She's right." His eyes shifted looking out the window as he caught site of someone walking down the street.

Belle.

"Now, if you'll excuse me," he said, and with a wave of his hand, he was gone. He materialized about a block away from Belle, staring down at the sidewalk in confusion. He should be standing right in front of her. Was he slipping?

She was still walking - in fact, she hadn't even noticed him showing up as he was behind her. He looked down at his hand warily, giving it a wave.

This time, he materialized mere feet from where he'd been before. Closer to Belle, but still a good distance away. His breathing picked up - there was magic at work here - he could feel it. It was as though his feet were stuck to the ground, allowing him to move the barest fraction of space at a time. He called her name. Belle froze, then turned slowly to face him.

"Rumple." She said it almost without inflection.

"Belle." His tone carried relief, and he tried to step forward - but again, something was holding him where he was. "Why can't I get closer?" he asked. "What have you done?"

She let out a breath - a sound of relief - and that realization was like a fist to his gut.

"I commanded it," she said. "I used the dagger, and I commanded that you stay away from me. It's better this way. Easier."

"Belle - listen to me," he pleaded. "Let me come closer so we can talk -"

She shook her head. "No, Rumple. We're not talking. And you're not going to be close to me ever again. It's the only way we can live in this town together. And the only way I can be sure you'll never have the dagger again."

His eyes widened, and the color drained from his face as she turned and continued walking. How the hell did he ever forget just how smart she was? It was the perfect failsafe. She kept the dagger, and commanded him to never come near her again. It protected her, and it protected everyone. It was brilliant.

It was maddening. He closed his eyes as the despair ate him alive.

###

"I just need to stop in and change my clothes and shoes," Emma said, opening the door to the apartment. "I should have had the foresight to put on some boots instead of sneakers. That puddle ended up being knee-deep."

"Caves near a coastline are notoriously damp," Killian pointed out. "I told you to be careful. You're lucky you didn't break your leg."

"You already yelled at me," she reminded, giving him a look.

"I worry about you, Swan. You can't fault me for that." He closed the door behind him "Where are we meeting them?"

"Over at Granny's. My Dad's going to get Archie and Henry checked out and meet us there. Belle thinks she's found something that we need to see, so I'll call the others and we'll all get together over dinner." She headed up the stairs. "Make yourself at home," she called back. "I'll be right down."

She turned at the top of the stairs and then froze in mid-stride. A man was sitting on the bed, and he was perfection. Perfectly chiseled face. Perfectly sculpted arms and chest, and from the looks of things beneath that tight tee shirt, abs. Dark, just barely curling hair over startling blue-gray eyes, framed with long, silky lashes. His lips were slightly full, inviting. Emma's jaw actually dropped a fraction as she took him in, and the corner of his mouth lifted, letting her know that he noticed her regard.

"Hello," Zeus said.

"Hello," Emma repeated carefully. "Who are you? And why are you sitting on my bed?"

"I wanted to introduce myself. Our last...meeting didn't go as expected, and I'm to blame for that. I need to make amends." Zeus got slowly to his feet, and Emma took a step back to the stairwell.

"Killian?" she called out. There was no response. Her eyes swung back to the man who had now stepped closer.

"Stop!" She put up a warning hand. "Not one step closer! What did you do to him?"

"He's fine," Zeus soothed. "Merely paused, so that you and I can...talk."

Emma hand went to the holster at her hip, resting there lightly. "I've seen how you talk. I'm not interested."

His mouth twitched again. "That's not what your eyes said, a moment ago."

"Who are you." Her face showed not the slightest trace of emotion. She wasn't stupid enough to give this guy even the barest hint of an opening.

He stared at her appraisingly, and if she wasn't mistaken, with more than a little admiration.

"You are full of surprises, you mortals. Not what I expected at all." He crossed his arms and leaned negligently against the bureau.

"Mortals? As in "you're immortal?" Emma's eyes widened. "What are you - a god or something?"

He looked a little perturbed now. "I am Zeus."

"Zeus? The big Kahuna? God of all gods?"

He liked that. Oh yes, he did. A slow grin spread across his face. "You've heard of me."

"Who hasn't heard of you? You're Zeus."

"Then you know what I can do for you. I am the all-powerful -"

Emma held up a hand, interrupting him. "I said I know who you are. I didn't say I was impressed."

He was back to perturbed again, but he covered it quickly, and the smile slid back into place.

"Forgive me," he said smoothly, "I was less than well-behaved at our last encounter. I had hoped if I appeared as someone you were more comfortable with, you wouldn't be intimidated by my attentions. I know it can be overwhelming to you mortals to have the favor of a god."

"You really have a high opinion of yourself, don't you?" She raised her brows, staring him down.

The polite veneer was beginning to crack - she could see it in his eyes. And along with that, she could see something else.

He liked it. He liked the way she challenged him. Emma guessed that probably didn't happen very often.

"I get that you're interested," she said. "But I've already got someone, thanks. I can't imagine a guy like you has a problem getting a date."

"Is that what they're calling it now?"

"Why are you here?" Emma steered the conversation back to where she wanted it. "Are you looking for Dora?"

"I followed Pandora, yes." He pushed off the bureau moving over to the window and drawing the curtain back to look. "I knew that she would be drawn to the box, wherever it was hiding."

"And you want the box."

"Among other things." He smiled over his shoulder at her.

"What do you need the box for?"

"The box is an incredibly powerful piece of dark magic - something that should have never been unleashed outside of Olympus - not without proper...supervision. The thief, Epimetheus took it from Pandora, and traded it to Rumplestiltskin, and he should never have been permitted its use," Zeus said coldly. "Because of his actions, large amounts of dark magic were released into another realm, and the backlash splintered portals and pushed the realms further apart."

"The Enchanted Forest," Emma said. "You mean there was no dark magic until the box was opened?"

"Only within magical artifacts, such as the dagger he wields. It was not free to be used at whim by anyone with magical ability."

"If we give you the box," Emma said, holding his eyes, "Can you remove the curse?"

"It is possible."

She stared at him a long moment, weighing his words, her superpower testing each one of them.

"But there's a catch," she said, her eyes narrowing.

He shrugged carelessly, turning away from the window. "I will remove the accursed box and return with it to Olympus. I can even take Pandora with me - sparing her a lifetime of remorse among the mortals and sparing this mortal realm her particular affliction."

"And what if she doesn't want to go with you?"

Zeus looked at her as if she were lacking a few points in intellect. "I can persuade her," he said confidently. "That won't be a problem."

"So you pretend to be her boyfriend and whisk her away to be imprisoned again?"

"She will not return to Tartarus. You have my word." He raised a brow. "And there is no passion between us anymore," he said. "If you were curious about that."

"I'm not."

"Are you curious about me? Because I vow I haven't met a magical creature as powerful as you in eons. Are you a demi-god? Part nymph, perhaps?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "No."

"From what source do you draw your power in this realm?"

"I'm the product of true love." Emma lifted her chin, and for the first time, Zeus looked...wary?

"Let me guess," she said. "You don't have any experience with that."

"Oh, but I do," he said, his eyes darkening as he stepped closer, stalking her as she stepped backward. "I can make your senses sing. I can bring you pleasure the like of which you have never experienced before. I can leave you shaking and replete and then rouse you to begin again. Endless hours of pleasure. Think about it...Emma."

The backs of his fingers caressed her neck, and his eyes held hers as he lowered his head.

Only to have her hand come over his face and push him back, hard.

"That's not love," she stated flatly. "Thanks for the offer, but I've got all that. And he doesn't need to brag. Or pretend to be someone he's not in order to get a woman," she sneered. "Now get out of my room. You know I can stop you."

Now she'd done it. He was angry. Really and finally angry.

"You cannot protect your mortal every moment. And he cannot stand between us. This isn't over." He whirled in a cloud of smoke and was gone.

Emma turned and ran down the stairs, skidding to a halt at the bottom. Killian looked up from the television set.

"I like this Netflix," he said, smiling broadly. "I'm watching a vivid story about a magical creature who lives in a pineapple under the sea."

Emma sagged against the stair railing in relief. Killian was on his feet in an instant, the smile fading from his face.

"What's happened?"

"He came back. Zeus. It's Zeus."

Killian's eyes widened. "Zeus! Are you all right?" he reached for her, cupping her face gently, and she nodded.

"He didn't hurt me."

"But he still wants you." Killian's jaw tightened.

"Worse," she said, reaching up to take his hand and twine her fingers with his. "He wants me, and he's willing to go through you to get me."