Disclaimer: Property of A&E and ABC. Not Mine.
Hades wakes and stumbles out of bed, bleary-eyed and restless from yet another lousy night's sleep. The high from his freedom, from his new life and home, has faded rapidly. The lack of progress towards his plan is now at the forefront of his mind; his impatience reaching critical mass. He always assumed he'd be able to learn something from the library, yet there is no mention of anything useful in anything he's read. He even started pouring through Henry's blasted storybook, and although he's learned more about everyone's backstories than he ever cared to know, there's nothing so far that can help him. Even Rumplestiltskin's tales have no mention of restoring souls to their proper form. Rumple didn't deal much with souls. Hades is the resident expert, and he is damned sure the only potential way to do anything close to what he needs would be to use ambrosia. He is absolutely kicking himself for destroying that tree all those centuries ago. It's either that, or come clean with Henry and beg, or force, the boy to write him back into his body.
He braces his hands against the wall of his shower, the warm water doing little to soothe his foul mood. It's also been weeks since he's seen Zelena, and that too is rousing his ire. It's like she fell off the face of the earth. Eavesdropping at Granny's yields nothing but aggravation. All anyone can talk about is Henry and his work as the Author. This holds zero interest to Hades, as he lives this nonsense daily and doesn't need a replay.
Asking the heroes about her whereabouts is also not an option. It would be entirely too suspicious, especially with the nosey pirate. Regina occasionally mentions her sister in passing, but Zelena is never at the Charming's loft or the mayor's immaculate mansion when he and Henry are there. Hades can only assume she's at her farmhouse with her daughter, doing her Mommy & Me thing. In a way, her isolation makes sense. Zelena was alone most of her life; it's what comes naturally to her.
He still craves vengeance. In fact, he's now starving for it. It's been months since the Fates dumped him into this pathetic body, and as each day passes in monotonous repetition, he grows more and more irate. Hades knows his anger has developed a rather bitter aftertaste, but he doesn't care. He intends to make full use of it. It's true he's adapted to the mortal life fairly well now, with his home above the library and the familiarity and trust of the heroes. That's all well and good, but the only reason he is in this situation is because of Zelena. The fact that she parades around like she's reformed grates on his very last nerve. Her performance at the hospital proved she is nothing more than a villain in heroic sheep's clothing. Heroes don't kill. They most certainly don't destroy their supposed True Love. It is her fault he is powerless, it is her fault he is a damned mortal, and she definitely needs to start paying for that.
oooooooooooooooooooo
When the bell over the front door of the library chimes softly, Hades bookmarks his copy of the Odyssey, having finally finished the Iliad the day before. Homer – always good for a laugh. He looks up into the late afternoon light, and his heart leaps into his throat.
It's her, and his traitorous body betrays him by throttling his pulse into overdrive, sending desire rushing through his veins. There's a low-level thrum in his ears… and elsewhere. It's distracting, this lack of self-control. How mortal males deal with these base-level responses is beyond him. Yes, so he's attracted to her. Big deal. She's beautiful. Fine. She also killed him. Let's think on that, shall we Libido?
His thirty-second self-talk tames his repressed lust. During that time, Zelena has meandered her way over to the children's section. Hades plays it cool, watching and waiting for her to come and check out whatever books she needs. Most likely she's looking for something to read to her daughter. How quaint.
Henry comes out from the back room and Zelena approaches the teen cautiously, murmuring a question. Of course, Henry leaps to help her. He brings back a fairly thick book from one of the stacks beyond Hades' line of sight. She smiles warmly and takes it, thanking him as he walks with her to the counter.
"I'm certain Robyn will like these," she says cheerily.
Oh dear gods. She named the baby after the dead father? Way to be original, Zelena. How sentimental… and awkward, given her conception. Hades stifles his amusement and returns to eavesdropping on their conversation.
"… doing fine. She might be getting her first tooth. Your mom is watching her for me this afternoon. I needed to run a few errands... and you know how she is about Robyn."
"Yeah, she's crazy about her." Henry seems to straighten himself when they reach the counter. "I'm glad you let her visit. It means a lot."
"Of course. It means a lot to me too."
Okay, this is a little nauseating. His circulation desk is not the place for a Mills family love-fest. Hades intervenes before they decide to start hugging. "Ready to check out?"
"Yes please," she says calmly. She's casually avoiding eye contact, despite his persistent gaze. Like he's unworthy of her time and attention.
Hades keeps his tone neutral despite the rise in his blood pressure. "Do you have your card with you?"
Her pretty lips form into a small frown. "Oh no. I forgot it. Can you look me up on your computer? Zelena Mills."
"Certainly." Hades keys in her name and sure enough, there she is – address, phone number, library card number. No birth date listed, so Hades types in April 15th, just because he can. He's tempted to add the year, but Belle would think it's a typo. Dear Zelena is much, much older than she looks. But then again, so is he.
Just to tweak her, he makes a big deal out of examining the book before he stamps it, flipping through the pages and examining the cover. Henry found her a collection of stories about animals: The Jungle Book, including the short of Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, Babar, Peter Rabbit… the classics. With pictures.
He hands it over the counter. "Here you go. Enjoy."
"Thank you," she says politely as she turns to leave. She doesn't even look at him.
Hades' temper redlines. When she's halfway to the door, he calls out to her. "So… I hear you were once the Wicked Witch of the West."
This stops her dead in her tracks. She turns slowly to face him, brows furrowed.
"They say you're reformed now," he continues, meeting her gaze with a steely one of his own. "That you saved this town from the Lord of Death."
She scowls, her lip curled. "Your point, oh ex-knight?"
"I'm curious… how well do you sleep at night? Murder is such a messy business, after all. Very distasteful to you more refined hero types, or so I've heard." He grins toothily at her confusion, his rage rising within him. "Perhaps the definition of 'good' and 'evil' is a tad different here? I am still rather new to this world." He can't curb the sneer in his tone. "But if the rumors are true, I definitely recommend you keep your hard-earned moniker. Stabbing your True Love straight through the heart – really, that's top shelf nastiness right there. Can't get any more wicked than that. Well done."
As always, Henry had been fiddling with his phone, but his eyes are now tuned to their discussion, a mix of wonder and confusion plastered across his young face.
Her defenses roar into life as she rushes towards him, halting a mere three feet away. "How do you know that?" She whips her head to Henry with a vicious glare, but he stares blankly at her in reply, hands raised. That's intriguing – the boy is obviously hearing these little details for the first time.
Hades does his best Jeremy Irons impression. "Come now, Zelena… everybody knows about that."
Shock and horror reverberate through her gaze; pale eyes darkening to sapphire as her lashes glisten with restrained tears. "I don't know who told you," she spats, "but they know nothing."
He can't resist. "Hey, don't feel so bad that your secret is out. From what I hear, no one thought it was True Love anyway. That so-called kiss you two had in the Underworld clearly wasn't real."
There's a gasp from off to his right; a quick glance shows a dumbfounded Henry gaping at his audacity. Too bad, kid. If you knew, you'd agree. She deserves it.
Moments pass without a sound. She is frozen, head down, the children's book dangling from her hand. When she does speak, her words are a mere whisper; the defeat prevalent. "It was real to me." Her eyes lift to his, and the connection between them is instantaneous. It's heartbreaking. The despair, the anguish, it all shoots through him like a dagger plunged deep into his soul. She turns away and with a wave, disappears into her green smoke. Hades leans back in his chair, stunned. What did he just do?
Henry's words break the silence. "How did you know?"
"How did I know what?"
"That she stabbed Hades through the heart. How did you know that?" The look on Henry's face is disconcerting. Hades always assumed that either Zelena or Regina told the rest of the heroes all the gory details. It seems not. He's going to have to invent something pretty creative to placate the boy's sharp mind.
"I heard it somewhere... maybe Regina told me."
Henry's eyes narrow to slits, and Hades's internal radar blares in alarm. "My mom only mentioned it once – the night it happened. And all she said was that Hades killed Robin, and then Zelena killed Hades to protect her. Hades was going to kill her, too. She never went into detail, and I know she would never speak of it again, to anyone." Youthful authority fills his next words. "You shouldn't either."
"Look kid, I dunno where I found out. Maybe Hyde told us when we came here – he told us a lot about you folks. Maybe I read it in that book of yours." He cloaks his gaze in ambivalence and tailors his next words. "Does it matter? She's a villain."
Henry's scowl is deep. "I can't believe you would even say that – you're the one who taught me to look at both sides of the story. It's never that black and white."
"Well kid, time for a new lesson. Sometimes it is."
Hazel eyes flare in disbelief and disdain. "She healed you, and this is how you repay her? I don't know what your problem is, but leave my aunt alone." Outrage peppers each and every word. "She's been through enough. If you don't believe me, go read her story."
Ah… but I already know her story. All of it. "Maybe I will," he replies snidely. "When I find the time."
Henry stomps towards the front door. Once he's there, he turns to face him, eyes blazing. "And you're wrong about it not being True Love. I saw them, in the Underworld. They were the real deal."
With one last look of righteous teenage indignation, he leaves the library in a huff, slamming the door behind him and nearly knocking the bell from its tether.
Well, that went swimmingly.
He's going to have to talk with the boy tomorrow and do some significant damage control. If he doesn't fix this, his whole cover will be blown. What was he thinking? Of course Zelena and her sister wouldn't tell the other heroes what happened. That isn't how heroes work. They talk only of good, happy things – not step-by-step accounts of tragedy and death.
Anger flares again in his chest. It was his death that they couldn't bring themselves to talk about. His! And what's with Henry? Hades read the story – Zelena killed his father. How could he possibly defend her?
Aggravated, he heads upstairs, habitually toting Henry's abandoned pen, ink and storybook along with him. He places them in the metallic enchanted chest; its lid will only open for him or Henry. Specialized blood magic, Regina called it. Hades has to give her credit - that was a nifty trick. She might be off her game power-wise, but there isn't anything wrong with her mind. Hyde will never get his grubby paws on that book – even if he did make it past the Savior's protection spell on the library and Charming's sword that now hangs comfortably at Hades' hip.
He unsheathes it easily and points it towards the black La-Z-Boy stationed by his far window. His skill has improved dramatically from all the tutoring and sparring with Henry. They even watched videos on the computer earlier this week to improve their techniques. He twirls the hilt in his hand. He can relate to the Sheriff's comment about itching to use it. The next time Hyde comes around, Hades is going to do a lot more than take out an eye.
A blinding beam of sunlight reflects off the smooth blade, and Hades blinks against it. For one split second his view of the apartment clouds, and the shrouded image of the recliner triggers a corresponding memory of his throne in the Underworld. In a flash of comparative insight, Hades realizes what he's become.
The sword drops from his grip to fall to the plush carpet beneath him. He is one of them. A hero.
A part of him screams in denial, but he knows it is true. The heroes are everywhere in his life. His refrigerator has leftovers from Sunday dinner at the Charmings. Snow White has done nothing but shove food at him since he came home from the hospital. The studio apartment itself has been tailored and customized by the heroes, specifically for him. David's gift of the sword can never be repaid. Even before he lived here, the heroes were there. Emma gave him his clothing. Regina gave him his job. And Henry, the greatest hero of them all, has been by his side from the beginning, and was fast becoming his best friend.
They have done nothing but help him, and he has done nothing but help them in return. His work in the library, planning the festival, coordinating Henry's clients and acting as the boy's de facto tutor and bodyguard - he's done it all, and he's done it willingly. But the tipping point that wins the argument is Henry and Hyde. Hades was willing to fight Hyde to protect the boy. He almost died doing so. And here he stands, ready and willing to risk his life all over again. That behavior, by definition, is the behavior of a hero.
He was so relieved when they blasted through the library doors that fateful night. They were ready to fight for him, just like he fought to protect Henry. They saved him.
His motives might have been selfish originally, but like he told Henry, everything is a choice. Hades chose to do all those things; he chose to align his life with the heroes. If he had to do it all again, he knows he would choose the same path.
Is this what happened with Zelena? Did she choose the path of the heroes as well? He still feels the anger; the rage regarding his death is palpable. Why did she do it? Couldn't she see everything he did was for her, for them?
He thinks back to that day, painfully, and this time, he sees his actions differently. His focus was on the power, on the Crystal. He wanted the heroes gone, and now he can't fathom why. Removing them from Storybrooke gained him nothing other than the freedom to do as he pleased without their incessant nagging. But he was a god; he could have done as he pleased anyway. He didn't need them gone to rule over them. Why was he so focused on their destruction?
It's distressing he can't remember the details; all he remembers is the surge of his power and the rush he got from feeding it into the Crystal. He wanted to use it. He wanted nothing more than to prove he could wield the symbol of his father and be the ruler he was meant to be. He wanted to prove he was just as powerful as Zeus.
Zelena had begged him to let it go. He remembers, she said it multiple times. She only wanted to be with him, to be a family. Play in the yard with her daughter, or something of that ilk.
He killed Robin Hood without a second thought. He was going to kill Regina and it had to be the Fates that made Zelena appear in time. What was he thinking? Zelena would have never forgiven him if he killed her sister. The thought of killing Regina now is enough to turn his stomach. Guilt floods him as he realizes she never would have taken Jekyll's potion if Robin were still alive. Her current situation, the loss of her power, the threat of the Evil Queen - it is all his fault.
Disgrace chokes his heart, the ache stronger than ever. Remorse has been eating away at him for weeks and now he finally knows why. He was wrong. What he did that day, and what he did for centuries before, was wrong. He did make a mistake. He made many. He paid for them too, with his immortality.
He owes Henry a new lesson. Zelena didn't have a choice. If she didn't destroy him, he would have killed Regina. He wanted nothing more than to see her crumple at his feet, only because she represented to Zelena what Zeus was to him. They were the ones that had it all, while he and Zelena had nothing.
He was blind and a fool. Regina didn't have it all then, and she certainly doesn't have it now. He and Zelena actually had a chance, but he is the one that threw it all away.
Dear gods, what she must think of him… both before and now. He hurt her today. She is the only person he's deliberately hurt since the Fates restored him, and he's supposed to be her True Love. She's not the hypocrite – he is. He was cruel to her, just because he could be.
Hades plods, zombie-like, to his soft leather recliner. He has to sit. He has to think. The quiet tick of the old-fashioned alarm clock on his nightstand marks the time as he stares blankly out the narrow window. Shadows cross before him as the daylight wanes, until he is bathed in the muted darkness of early night. There are muffled noises of the town settling in for the evening, and then hours later they too grow silent. Only the ticking of the clock remains as Hades peers out into the inky blackness, repeating the same unanswerable questions over and over in his mind. Who am I? What should I do?