He accompanied them to meet up at the loft with the others in Emma's group. He was quickly introduced to everyone, and he was a little taken aback at first that Emma's parents were the same age as her (of course, they told him that that was only due to a Dark Curse, but still, it's very strange). He crowded around the kitchen counter with the others as David brought a wooden chest out and set it on the counter in front of his wife, Mary Margaret (or was it Snow White? Liam was uncertain which moniker he needed to call her).

Emma's mother looked at Liam, noticing his confusion, and explained, "In the world above this is where I found the Storybook. So…" she left off and lifted the lid, beginning her search by rifling through its contents, but coming up empty handed. Crestfallen, she muttered a soft, "Sorry," to the group.

Regina (or the Evil Queen?) frowned. "Are we really surprised?" She asked the group rhetorically, continuing, "That book is the embodiment of hope, and there's not a lot of that here in the Underworld."

"Let's keep looking," Emma's father, David (was that his curse name or real name?), suggested, and they all began to go through everything in the apartment. Emma wandered upstairs, and Liam, seeing an opportunity to address her privately, followed her. Liam reached the top to see what looked to be a second bedroom, where Emma was opening drawers and storage cabinets, searching fruitlessly for the book. When she had to pause her search because one was stuck, he decided that that was as good a time as any and popped around the corner.

"Emma, can we talk," he asked.

Emma sighed and smirked. "Is this like a protective big brother talk where you want to make sure I'm good enough for Killian?" She turned to him, seemingly both annoyed and pleased at the notion that he would want to feel her out as any other older brother would. The notion just annoyed him. How could she not see how negative an influence she was on his brother? She was the one who had caused his death!

Liam's reply was a little sharp due to his annoyance. "Eh, no, because I already know you're not good enough."

Whatever it was that Emma had been expecting, it was clear to Liam that his response wasn't it. Her face looked shocked, as if the thought that he wouldn't like or approve of her for his brother never crossed her mind.

"What?" She asked, taken aback by Liam's outright refusal to give her the time of day. Liam resolved that this was as much as she would get from him.

"Killian blames himself for ending up here, but he told me what happened. Sounds to me like it's not his fault. It's yours." Liam frowned at her, curious to see what explanation she could have that might possibly change his mind. Perhaps if she acknowledged that her mistakes led to his brother's death, she might move up in his esteem.

Due to his train of thought, her next statement shocked him.

"I think we both made mistakes," Emma said slowly, as if seeming to hedge on whether she needed to outright state the horrible things Killian had done to her in retaliation for her turning him into the Dark One in an obviously misguided attempt at saving his life. But Liam was no fool; he knew that Killian would not have made the mistakes he made if he hadn't been put in the position of being the Dark One in the first place. And her reply outraged him. She was supposed to grovel for his forgiveness, not try to rationalize her actions as if it were some sort of lover's spat that both were responsible for starting!

"You fed him to the wolves. You led him down a dark path that he had no business going down!" Liam vehemently replied.

"I'm trying to help him get back on the path of the light. That's the whole reason I'm down here!" Emma retorted.

"No, you don't get it, Emma Swan. My brother has struggled with the darkness his whole life. He's always been tempted by it; I watched him struggle constantly with it growing up. He's always wanted to be a hero, but he's never been able to escape the darkness pulling him in. It's just how it is for him. But for you to come into his life and pull him in like an addict picking up a fix after months of not touching the addiction… You pushed him off the bloody cliff!"

Emma's face took on an outraged expression. "I was trying to save his life!"

Liam responded quickly in a sharp tone, "And it was a bloody selfish thing to do. He had the chance to die a hero, to move on, and you took it from him!"

Emma took a deep breath to calm down before replying. "That's not fair. I'm down here risking everything to save him."

Liam shook his head, frustrated that she couldn't see how right he was. "And is that really what he needs… or what you need? It's just wrong, what you did, and I can't forgive you for it." He scowled at her. "You shouldn't have come down here. You need to just let him find out what his unfinished business is and let him move on. You're no good for him."

Emma tried not to let his words get to her, but she couldn't help it. Her temper flared as she responded, "I actually don't think you get it at all. I'm not down here on some selfish, I-can't-let-go-of-him-because-all-that's-matters-is-what-I-want mission! I'm here because he sacrificed himself to rid the whole world of the Darkness, the very thing that you claim has always called to him, and it was all for nothing! Rumplestiltskin is still the Dark One, the Darkness is still very much a part of my world, and Killian is down here in the Underworld for it!" Emma shouted. "If he had no unfinished business, if his story was truly done, then he wouldn't be here. He would have already moved on, not be stuck here in limbo. Whatever darkness you believe your brother is capable of isn't true. His story isn't over. His hero's journey isn't over! In fact, from what I know of him it's just getting started!"

"I think I know my brother better than you," Liam replied tersely after a moment of tense silence.

"No, you don't. You died, Liam," Emma stated baldly, moving a step closer to him to illustrate her point. "You weren't there to see him turn to piracy after your wrongful death. You weren't there when his first love's heart was crushed in front of him and she died in his arms. And you damn sure haven't been there since I met him and he decided he wanted to work towards becoming the man he always wanted to be. No, Liam Jones, you don't know your brother half as well as you think. If you did, you'd see that he is not the villain you've only heard about."

"I don't think my brother is a villain," Liam snarled out.

"Obviously you do if you think he has no capability of being a hero whatsoever, which it's clear to me that you believe. He is the most heroic, noble, and decent human being I know. Whatever stories you've heard about Captain Hook are not indicative of who Killian Jones is at the core of him. He's been through so much loss and heartache, and in spite of all of that, he's done more good and helped more people than you will ever know."

"I know what I've experienced, and my brother's darkness is just as much a part of him, and he should be allowed to move on into the afterlife as a hero," Liam stubbornly reiterated.

Emma rolled her eyes. "Were you this self-righteous when you were alive?"

"When it came to my brother, yes. If he defeats Hades today, he'll forgive himself and he'll have another chance to move on as a hero. When that happens, stop thinking about your own desires and let him go." Liam looked over the railing to the downstairs area to where Killian was rummaging through things trying to find the book. Killian was all that mattered. Emma Swan's attempts at meddling in affairs she had no business in meddling with had no bearing on what was best for Killian.

"And if he forgives himself, he can come home, where he belongs," Emma stubbornly shot back. "He can continue living his hero's journey and do even more good for the world."

With that, Emma stalked off to continue searching through the rest of the loft for the copy of the Underworld version of the book of fairy tales. She didn't think she could stand a moment longer in Killian's brother's self-righteous presence.

Liam, meanwhile, turned and stalked off in the opposite direction, fed up with Emma's I-know-better-than-you attitude. How his brother could stand to be in a relationship with her sanctimonious beliefs was beyond his level of comprehension. He could see why Killian was attracted to her physically; with her blonde hair and bright green eyes, she was a beautiful woman, though Liam was a bit surprised that Killian had decided on her, as he had always known his brother to prefer brunettes. No, it wasn't her beauty that was so off-putting; it was her personality that grated on his nerves. He didn't need some know-it-all woman coming between him and his brother.

But what was it that got under his skin so much? Was it the way she looked at Killian, as if he were the epitome of nobility, or was it the way she seemed to see right through Liam's carefully constructed image of heroism? Nope, that was definitely not the reason why he disliked her so much. Her green eyes narrowing in offense and suspicion absolutely did not make him want to confront his actions all those centuries ago. He wasn't going to lose his brother's respect because of her. What did she know about what Killian needed anyway?

He descended the stairs quickly, going to search another area while their altercation circled on repeat in his mind. Emma must have followed him down, because he heard Killian ask her, "You all right?"

He watched Emma approach his brother out of the corner of his eye.

"Yeah. Fine," she responded, obviously lying. Liam was impressed for a moment by how she didn't immediately run to Killian to tattle on him. He'd have figured she would have been quick to run to his brother and cry on his shoulder about Liam's horrible treatment of her. "Let's keep looking," she said as she walked towards Killian, who watched her with concern in his eyes.

Before Killian could respond to Emma's blatant denial of her emotions, the door swung open, revealing Emma's son, Henry. "Hey," he said as he entered, but stopped short as he looked at all of them ransacking the apartment. "What's going on?"

Mary Margaret walked swiftly past Henry, replying gibly, "Oh, just looking for the Storybook. You know: Underworld edition." She resumed her search in another area of the apartment.

"Really?" Henry's eyes lit up. "Well, I think I might know where it is!"

David stopped his search and looked curiously at his grandson. "And how would you know that?"

Henry turned to David and said, "The Apprentice. I saw him at…" Henry broke off for a moment, clearly trying to think of an alibi for where he had been that he wasn't supposed to be. "At Granny's," he continued. "He said the Sorcerer's mansion is down here and there's a bunch of his stuff inside, like the Storybook."

Regina sighed and looked up to the ceiling. "Finally, some good news."

Henry winced. "Well, sort of? The house is locked with magic, and the sheriff has the key."

Killian chuckled. "Your evil twin is the sheriff?" He asked David. "Oh, Hades has panache, I'll give him that."

David sighed and nodded. "Well, it's time for my brother and me to have an overdue chat."

Mary Margaret squared her shoulders and prepared her things to go with them. "Well, you won't be alone. I still owe him a punch in his pretty mouth for kissing me."

David scowled. "He kissed you?!" he exclaimed, turning to give Killian an outraged look, which Killian returned. It struck Liam as odd that David, who was Emma's father and well within his rights to not approve of Killian dating his daughter, would turn to Killian for solidarity and support for his anger. It seemed like a gesture that brothers would share, and it rattled Liam to see that kind of interaction between his little brother and another man.

Mary Margaret cut a short, irritated reply. "Thought it was you." She headed briskly towards the door, David's eyes one her the entire time. Once she exited the apartment, David looked back at Killian again before he grabbed his jacket and proceeded after his wife. "Let's go."

Liam turned to Killian and stopped him before he could head after David and Mary Margaret. "In the meanwhile, we should all go about our usual business. Hades has eyes everywhere. We can't have him learning what we're up to."

Killian nodded his head once. "Fine plan. I can't wait to see the look on his face when he learns a valuable lesson… one should never mess with the brothers Jones." Killian clapped Liam and on his shoulders and smiled at him encouragingly before moving to open the door for Emma, who had grabbed her coat and hat in the moment it took them to decide on the plan. She left through the door, closely followed by Henry and Regina.

Liam smiled briefly at his little brother before following them down out of the apartment. He really hoped that Killian could do what he planned because he really wanted him to be able to move on. His brother deserved to have his hero moment and proceed to the rest of his afterlife without any emotional baggage weighing him down. Liam couldn't help but glance at the blonde hovering just behind Killian as he pondered over the situation.

He hadn't realized how much he had missed his brother being around until Killian was suddenly there. There had been a hole in Liam's life, and it's only now that he was realizing just how large that hole had been. He had hoped that Killian would have had a long life before his death, perhaps have a family of his own, but now that Killian was there Liam didn't want to lose him. He didn't want Emma Swan to be able to change his brother's mind about trying to return back to life. It didn't just have to do with wanting his brother to try and be a hero (though it hadn't always looked as if Killian had the ability to be one); he didn't want him to find a way back to life because he was tired of being without his family.

He didn't think it was selfish to want his brother to remain here with him. It wasn't like his brother could go anywhere; Killian was dead. Though Liam wouldn't have wanted Killian to die to be able to join him, now that he was here, Liam didn't think it was too much to ask to have his family stick with him. Killian's confidence in their ability to wreak havoc on Hades had struck a chord in Liam that was reminiscent of their days in the navy, but so much had changed since then.

Liam shook his head and tried to stop thoughts of wanting to keep Killian with him from taking over. He hurried back to the bar, desperate for the semblance of normality before they opened. He wasn't working the evening shift tonight, but he had a lot of preparation to do to get the tavern ready for the evening.

Once he got back to The Rabbit Hole, he worked as quickly as he could to restock bottles of beer and sodas, fill the ice machines, and wipe the surfaces down. He was working on washing and drying various glassware when Hades strolled in as if he owned the place.

"Wow. Even for the Underworld, it is dead in here." Hades casually looked over the place, for what Liam didn't know.

Liam placed the wine glass that he had been drying down on the counter. "Can I help you?," he asked. "I can make you anything."

Hades sat at a bar stool just in front of Liam but to his right slightly. "That's okay. I can help myself." He waved his hand in a circular motion and produced two glasses of Scotch. "This Scotch is a few centuries old. I think it's aged quite well. The key is to store it underground." He waved his hand at the glass nearest Liam, and the glass slid down the bar close enough for Liam to grab. "Here. Try some."

Liam took the glass and raised it to his lips, sipping minutely at the beverage. Liam, as a general rule, didn't imbibe much alcohol. It went against his code of good form. He had seen too many sailors (including his brother) succumb to its ills to want to imbue much, but one didn't refuse Hades in his own realm. Liam made a hum of appreciation; though he didn't drink much alcohol, it was pretty good Scotch.

"It's good, right?" Hades smiled after taking his own sip. "See, I'm… I'm not such a bad guy."

Liam's heart dropped, but he carefully schooled his facial expression so as to not give anything away. Hades knows, he thought bleakly.

"But here you are," Hades continued, "trying to stage some kind of a…. What's that quaint nautical term you keep using? A…" Hades snapped his fingers. "That's right… mutiny."

Liam blinked. "So, you found us out."

"Well, like you said, I have eyes everywhere. What I don't have is that Storybook."

Liam frowned. "And what do you want from me?"

Hades shrugged and took another sip. "Not much. I don't even really care about that book, except for a few select pages… the ones about me. So, find the book and destroy them."

Liam crossed his arms. "Do it yourself."

Hades huffed a soft, dangerous laugh. "Well I would, but it's the Sorcerer's house. Light magic doesn't agree with me, so I kind of need you to do it."

"Why me?" Liam asked.

"Because you owe me," Hades replied. "I'm the one that guaranteed your and your brother's lives in that storm, after all."

Liam thought for a moment. "And if I refuse?"

"I'll tell your brother the thing you never could, the reason you're really down here."

Liam stared at Hades.

"Yes, I'll tell him that you traded the lives of the crew of the Hispaniola for your and your brother's life and the Eye of the Storm. I'll tell him that the lives lost were worth nothing more to you than a magical rock."

Liam looked down at the counter. "You wouldn't do that."

"Oh, wouldn't I? Tell me, why do you think you're down here? You're stuck here because you can't admit what you did. You can't acknowledge the role you played in those men's deaths. And you certainly can't admit it to your brother. How likely do you think it would be that he would choose to stay here with you when he finds out what you've done? When he hears that his hero wasn't as heroic as he once thought? You'd surely lose him to Emma Swan and her fruitless attempts at resurrecting him. Do you really want to test me on this?"

Liam took a deep breath. He knew Hades was right, as much as he hated to admit it. He certainly didn't want to lose his brother after everything they had gone through to reunite. He couldn't have cared less about Emma Swan's so-called mission; he resented the woman for her role in Killian's death and her insipid insistence that Killian forgive himself and go home when there was no way to return to the living. He made up his mind.

"How do I do it?" Liam asked, and Hades gave a smirk.

"Just take the pages and destroy them. Find a body of water and throw them in it; they'll make their way to me."

Liam furrowed his brow in confusion.

Hades got up and leaned in close to Liam and whispered, "All bodies of water flow through my throne room." He drew back and turned to leave. "I'll expect them later this evening," Hades announced before disappearing in the blink of an eye, leaving Liam to contemplate his mission.