The door squeaked loudly as Archie swung it open, and Dora jumped a little at the sound.

"It's okay," he said, raising a hand to calm her. "We just need to oil the hinges, that's all."

He reached back for her hand, and she took it hesitantly.

"No one lives here?"

"No." Archie looked around the cabin. "It could use a little freshening up," he said. "But the structure is sound. And there's no one around for more than a mile."

"It's lovely," she said. "Really, Archie. I just don't think..." She paused a moment to look around. "He'll still find me."

Archie squeezed her hand. "Well, he won't find you alone."

"Archie..." she began hesitantly. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Anything. You know that."

"What do you see in me?"

He looked genuinely surprised. "You mean, 'Why do I like you?'"

She nodded, and he took her other hand, holding them both so that he could face her full-on. "You're beautiful, Dora. Anyone can see that."

"Yes, Aphrodite was generous," she agreed. "I've always had a face that turned men's heads, but once they see the darkness, they're on their way."

"I don't see darkness," Archie said. "I still see beauty. You care about people, genuinely. You want the best for everyone, even if it means sacrificing yourself. And in spite of the burden you carry, you still keep going. That kind of resilience is beautiful. You are beautiful."

"But you can't care about me," she said, softly but firmly. "You'll only get hurt. Either by me or because of me."

"If there's one thing I've learned in my years as both a therapist and a conscience, it's that getting hurt is a part of life. It's unavoidable. Nobody gets through life unscathed, Dora." He pulled her in closer. "Though I will say that you've been hurt more than most. You've got a lot on your shoulders."

"That's not likely to change," she sighed.

Archie reached up, lifting her chin with his fingers. "Then I'll just have to help you carry it all."

He started to lean in, and Dora's eyes closed as she stretched up on tiptoe - only to have the door swing open. They hastily backed away from each other.

"Did somebody call for the cavalry?" Emma asked, stepping inside and then stopping short as she realized she interrupted something. "Uh...sorry. Guess I should have knocked." Killian stepped in from behind her, and his eyes met hers as he tried to cover his grin.

"It's all right," Archie stammered. "I was just showing Dora around."

"There's not much to show," Killian said, glancing at the walls.

"Which is good," Emma replied. "It's only my second try at a protection spell." She shook her hands, flexing them.

"I don't know that you can stop Zeus," Dora said. "There aren't many barriers that can keep him out, beyond that which is sacred."

"You mean, like a temple or something?" Emma's brow furled. "Maybe I just need to declare myself a god."

"I consider you a goddess," Killian said, prompting a smirk in return.

Dora smiled. "Zeus would have to recognize you as sacred," she said. "He wouldn't cross into another's temple or sacred site, nor could he harm anyone encircled by it." She looked around the cabin. "Alas, this would hardly suffice."

"So I guess it's up to me," Emma said, flexing her fingers again.

"Not yet!" Snow pushed her way through the doorway, along with David who was carrying two large bags of groceries.

"If you're going to be sealed in here, you need some provisions," David said. "We'll just make sure Emma comes alone to put the spell back up when we restock you."

"And I brought a friend who wanted to see you," Snow said, giving Neal a little jiggle in her arms. Dora's face lit up in the first genuine moment of joy Archie had seen since her arrival.

"Hello little one!" she beamed, reaching out to stroke his head.

"Would you like to hold him?" Snow asked. Dora looked up at Archie hesitantly, and he gave her a reassuring smile.

"Go ahead, Dora," he said.

"You've already taken such good care of him," Snow reminded her. "I know he's safe in your hands." She held the baby out, and Dora took him carefully, holding him close as she rocked and cooed to him.

"You've grown, little one," she said softly, delighting in the little sounds he made. She touched his cheek, smoothing it with her fingertips. "Such a beautiful baby," she said, looking up at Snow and David. "You must be so proud."

"Definitely," David said with a wide smile.

"Dora? What was Hope like?" Snow asked. "Tell us about her."

David locked eyes with his wife, unsure if he wanted to bring up such an upsetting subject with Dora. Snow gave him a slight, reassuring nod.

Dora's face grew soft as she looked down at Neal.

"Hope was beautiful. I know it's very easy to say that as I am her mother, but really, she just had such a way about her. She would smile and you couldn't help but smile back. Her eyes were always so wide open, as if she couldn't get enough of the world around her." Dora stroked Neal's head again. "She had hair like sunlight - like the way it looks on the water." She looked up. "I know that sounds odd, but -"

"No," said Killian quietly. "I know that color. When the sun hits the water at first light, the brilliance of it. It's breathtaking."

Dora smiled at him, her eyes welling up. "Yes. That was it, exactly. Breathtaking. She was just so full of life, and of promise."

Snow moved closer, reaching out to touch Dora's shoulder. "She sounds amazing."

"She was," Dora said.

"I wish I could have known her," Archie said, putting his arm around her.

"Thank you," Dora said, handing Neal back to his mother. "Your son is a joy, truly."

"He likes you, too," David said. "And good babysitters are hard to find."

"Yes, you'll have to watch him for us sometime," Snow said emphatically. "We need to plan a date night soon."

Dora looked oddly touched. "Really? It would be no trouble at all. He's an easy child."

"Tell his mother that at two a.m.," David cracked. "Now...let's get the groceries in the fridge and get that spell up."

"I can put the groceries away," Archie volunteered. "I'm going to be staying with her."

He hadn't let go of Dora, and Snow turned very knowing eyes to her husband. "All right, then," she said. "We'll just be going."

Emma looked over at Killian. "We need to step outside."

"After you," he said, extending a hand. Emma stepped through, and with cordial nod to Archie and Dora, he followed Emma out. He stood at her side as she concentrated, pushing her palms up and out until the the light blazed from them, rippling and engulfing the cabin.

She stepped back, panting.

"Is it done?" Killian asked.

"I gave it everything I had," she said. "I hope it's enough to hold him."

"At the very least, it should slow him down," Killian said. "Archie knows to call if there are any unwanted visitors."

Emma turned to her mother. "Good call, bringing the baby. I don't think I've ever seen her that happy."

"How did you know to ask her about Hope?" David asked. "I didn't want to remind her that her child is gone."

"I knew a mother once who lost her son in an ogre attack," Snow said solemnly. "She told me once that she wished more people would ask her about him. She said they didn't have to worry about reminding her - she knew her son was dead. She knew it every day. But it meant so much to her when someone reminded her that he'd lived."

"Nothing outweighs the pain of losing a child," Emma said. "I can speak to that firsthand."

"I'm glad we made her smile," Snow said, tickling Neal under the chin. "And of course, she loves you, sweetie. Yes she does! Yes, she does!" She made silly, cooing noises to Neal as she and David headed for the truck.

"They're getting lunch at Granny's," Emma said. "Do you want to join them?"

"You go on ahead," Killian said, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "I need some guidance."

"With what?"

"A hunch," he said, leaning down to kiss her. "I'll meet up with you for dinner, love."

"My place," she said. "And don't be late. It's taco night and Henry doesn't like to be kept waiting."

###

Belle looked up as Henry opened the door, holding up a finger to instruct him to wait as she finished her phone conversation.

"Yes...yes, but I -" she looked across at him and smiled, covering the phone to say "It's your mother," before listening again, intently. "No, it's Henry," she said into the phone. "You do?" She listened some more before she covered the phone again.

"Henry, Emma wants you home. Your cat is missing, and she needs your help to find it."

"Tell her I'll be there soon," he said. "I just need to talk to you. I'm sure the cat's around somewhere."

Belle smiled and returned to her conversation. "Yes, he is. And I'll be sure to do that. Goodbye." Belle replaced the phone on it's cradle and turned to Henry.

"What was it you needed, Henry?"

"Well -"

Henry didn't get to finish, as the door opened and Killian walked in.

"Hello Henry," he said with a smile. "You're missing lunch with your grandparents," he said. "They're at Granny's."

"Henry's mother just called me," Belle said, holding Killian's eyes. "She says that Henry's cat has gone missing. She wants him to go home and help her look for it."

"What?" Killian looked confused.

"And Regina thinks that Zeus might go after the dagger," Henry said. "We should probably hide it with her. She can put a cloaking spell on it, and keep him from finding it. She sent me here to get it."

"I've got it pretty well hidden," Belle said, reaching for the books on the counter. "Henry, can you push that cart over, please? I need to get these all back on the shelves."

"Your mother knows how much you love that cat," Killian said, moving to get between Henry and Belle. "Regina can wait."

"Why would Regina want you handling the dagger," Belle asked, looking uneasy. "I should think she'd want to keep something as dark as that far away from you."

"It's because I'm a child," Henry shrugged. "The dagger can't corrupt me. And Zeus would never suspect that you'd give it to me."

"Well," Killian said, raising a brow. "He's not much on intelligence, I'll grant you that. Pretty face, but a decided lack of wit."

Belle's eyes flared briefly and she looked at Killian as though he were mad.

Henry's eyes narrowed. "This is the king of the gods we're talking about."

Killian smirked. "Well, it's not as though they voted him into office, is it? And he hasn't done much to impress around here."

Henry drew in a breath, then smiled and shrugged again. "Yeah, well...Regina says to give me the dagger and she'll put it someplace safe."

Killian reached down, picking up one of the heavy tomes on the cart. "You know, these books you've found were most instructive," he said over his shoulder to Belle. "I particularly like the illustrations. Do you think they're true to life? Because Zeus looks a bit...jowly to me."

Belle's lips twitched and she deliberately turned away to put a book on the shelf. "I'm sure that I don't know," she said in a strangled voice. "But you know how myths and legends are. They tend to exaggerate."

"Did you hear that, Henry?" Killian said, gesturing. "Perhaps he's not the king of the gods after all. Maybe he was a lowly steward or something but he was the one with the quill so he exaggerated his importance."

"Are you done?" Henry snapped. "Because I promised Regina I'd come right back with the dagger."

"Oh, I don't have it with me," Belle said. "You don't think I'd just carry it around, do you?"

"Of course not," Henry smiled. "I can run and get it. Just tell me where."

"Weren't you using it as a cheese knife?" Killian asked. "I remember seeing it at that wine tasting event you had here at the library last month."

Belle tapped her chin thoughtfully. "You know...I'm not sure."

"Perhaps it's still in the dishwasher," Killian suggested helpfully.

"I suppose I could check," she answered. "But I can't imagine I did - I wouldn't want it to rust, you see..."

"Enough!" Henry shouted. Then he realized he'd snapped and took a calming breath. "Look, I don't mean to be rude, but Regina -"

"Is right here," Regina said, strolling through the door, with Robin behind her, holding his bow with an arrow at the ready. "And if you knew Henry at all, you'd know he never calls me Regina."

Henry's eyes narrowed, and a heartbeat later, Zeus stood in his place.

"What does he call you?" he asked angrily.

Regina's smile was smug. "Mom. And you really should learn about the magic of cellphones. I told you, polite people call ahead."

Zeus turned toward Belle, but Killian stepped in, giving Regina time to counter and put Belle behind her and Robin.

"You." There was a wealth of contempt in Zeus's voice. "You were taunting me."

"Taunting?" Killian said with a shrug. "I was merely making astute observations. No need to get prickly about it."

Zeus' face darkened, and the air around him seemed to crackle. "I hope you've enjoyed your time with Emma."

"Oh, I have." Killian smiled.

"Good," Zeus returned his smile coldly. "Because it's over now."

And with a flick of his wrist, Killian's heart stopped, and he crumpled slowly to the ground as Zeus disappeared.