Disclaimer: Property of A&E and ABC. Not Mine.

A/N: Well folks, this is it. The last chapter. It took a great deal longer than I anticipated to finish this; apologies for that! But I really didn't want to start the new year with this still a WIP. So, without further ado... read and enjoy.

Hades hovers in the hallway, the hint of bacon fat and warm bread from the diner's kitchen is so familiar, yet eerily different. He brushes his hand against his upper leg, swiping away bits of lint that don't actually exist. The smooth feel of Armani isn't helping his state of mind either, and he wonders if he should wear something less formal when he speaks with them. Because beyond the corner he's been hiding behind, in their typical pair of booths, are the heroes.

Henry is slouched along the outside edge of one booth, phone in hand, disengaged from the adult conversation around him. He looks taller, and leaner, and the petulant scowl on his face makes Hades smile. His mayoral mother is beside him, tucked against the wall, lips pursed slightly at the Savior and her beloved pirate, who, based on his animated gestures, is trying to convince Regina to do something. She's not buying it, and the look of befuddlement on Emma's face when she quickly turns toward Hook conveys the same message. Snow and Charming are in the booth behind Henry, the former focused on tending to her son and the latter taking a nauseatingly huge bite out of a dripping steak sandwich. His eyes are on Killian, intrigued by whatever the pirate is saying.

It's a scene Hades has seen many times. Hell, Regina is in his spot. But for the past five minutes, Hades has been unable to put one Italian leather shoe in front of the other and approach them. The unfamiliar young couple in the booth nearest to him has glanced his way twice now, and he knows he just needs get out there and get it over with. They can't hurt him. They might want to, but they can't.

Smoothing out his suit one last time, he steps forward. The instant he turns the corner, there is a loud clattering of pans from the kitchen, followed by a sharp curse from Granny. The noise attracts the attention of the majority of diner patrons, including Henry. The teen's head lifts and instead of turning towards the kitchen, he looks straight towards the back of the diner and those dark green eyes flash with recognition.

Henry's brows furrow slightly. "Hades?"

The instant his name leaves the boy's lips, the remaining heroes whirl and face him. Hades can't even begin to process their expressions, so he straightens himself and walks towards them. "Hello, Henry. Everyone."

Henry hops to his feet, slapping his phone onto the table and meeting him a few feet from the booth. He is taller, Hades notes; the boy's nose is almost level with his own. The look in his eyes, however, is a tad disconcerting. It's like he's trying to see into his soul.

The shaggy head tilts. "Is it really you?"

"Yeah kid, it's me."

Henry's widening grin bolsters Hades' confidence. At least one person is happy to see him. Henry moves closer, but his mother's voice stops him short.

"We didn't think you'd be returning to Storybrooke," Regina states, her dark eyes hooded.

"I had some things I needed to attend to. They took much longer than I anticipated."

"Well," Henry says happily. "We're glad you're back. Right?"

The heroes reply with silence, and the mounting tension in the air grows thick.

Henry shoots a worried glance towards Hades, who shakes his head slightly. He expected this. It hurts, but it was expected.

"I won't keep you," he tells the heroes. "I just wanted to thank all of you for taking me in and making me feel welcome in your lives when I was a mortal… when I was Rhye. I know there are things I've done that cannot be forgotten. I am not here to ask your forgiveness. However, now that my power is returned to me, there are ways I can at least attempt to make amends."

He reaches into his suit and pulls out the small silver box he crafted for Regina. She blinks in surprise when he approaches the booth and offers it to her. "Regina… this is for you. We should probably talk somewhere in private before you open it."

Her eyes narrow as Snow White's words reverberate in the now silent diner. "I don't think that's the best idea, Regina."

Her husband echoes the sentiment. "I agree. We don't know what he wants."

Hades sighs. He knew this would be difficult. "It's about Robin," he tells her softly.

The brunette's voice wavers. "Robin?"

The dead thief's name causes the remaining patrons to quickly return to their meals, perhaps in attempt to provide their mayor with some semblance of privacy. The soft clink of metal on china soon blends in with rumbles of conversation. Only the heroes are silent, waiting for him to explain.

"I went to see him in the Fields. The Elysian Fields. What you'd call Heaven."

"But you said he was gone. Like he never existed." Regina's voice cracks with emotion, and guilt floods him. "That he'd never move on."

"Yeah, well… I might have exaggerated that a bit."

Regina studies the gilded box. "What is it?"

"Are you sure you want to discuss this here, in front of everyone?" Hades is trying to be respectful of her feelings. Robin asked that he break the news to her gently.

"Wait," Hook chimes in. "If Robin isn't dead, why isn't he here? Why didn't you bring him back, if you're a right powerful god and all now?"

Hades ignores him. This is about Regina.

She opens the box, lifting the golden chain with the small pendant until it sways gently in her hand. The tiny circular coin is reflecting the muted light of the diner, rotating slowly along the two fine points that secure it to its larger golden harness.

"It's a teleportation key," he tells her questioning gaze. "To transport you into the Fields. I made it with one of Charon's coins." He points at the sliver of wood still resting on the white velvet cushion. "With that bit of wood and the necklace, you can go and visit Robin whenever you wish. You hold it in your hand, spin the coin, and you will be teleported straight to him."

Regina's eyes widen as the realization sinks in. Her next words are a whisper. "He… he didn't want to come back?"

"Oh he absolutely did, but once a mortal's soul is anchored into the Fields, it is impossible to break that connection. Technically he is a part of the energy that makes the Fields exist. Not even my brother's power can disengage him from it. I am sorry, but this was the best I could do."

Regina picks up the tiny piece of the large tree stump Robin carved for her, her eyes damp. "I'm going to make this rotten stump last," Robin had said. "So she can visit a thousand times or more."

Hades repeats the warning he gave Robin. "You cannot spend your life in the Fields, Regina. You are a living soul, and you need to follow your fate to its end, whatever it may be. The physics of that realm strictly prohibit access to the living, but with that necklace… well, I'm bending the rules a bit. The power infused in Charon's coin will only allow you to stay for a limited period of time before the Elysium magic bounces you out. You should return to the exact place you were when you left. I can't say how long you'll have, but I am confident it is more than a few minutes."

As he expected, Regina's cheeks are streaked with tears. He sighs. He knows it isn't the same as what Zeus did for Hook, but seeing Robin again might finally bring her a semblance of peace. Robin certainly thought it would. Hades wonders how long Regina will wait before she tells him about Hyde's potion and the Evil Queen.

The eyes of the other heroes are boring into him, but Hades keeps his attention on Regina. "Each time you visit Robin, he will need to give you another sliver of wood, or something that represents his location. The Fields are vast, it will be impossible to find him without that marker." He shifts his head slightly. "Well, not entirely. If you forget, let me know and I'll go and get another location token for you."

Regina's hands are steady as she slips the fine chain over her head. She slides herself out of the booth and stands, spine stiffened. "Thank you," she murmurs.

He nods respectfully. "You're welcome."

She turns to Henry, who has been leaning against the table behind Hades, his eyes glued to his mother. Her fingers trace his hair when she says, "Thank you too, son."

"Mom…" he whispers, clearly unsure of what to say. Hades is at a loss, too.

"You knew. You've been right about him all along, and not one of us trusted you." Amber eyes meet his. "Nor you."

Hades' tone is clipped. "I didn't give you many reasons to do so."

"That's not entirely true," Emma mutters, scanning him from head to toe. "But you'll have to give us some time to get used to… well, the real you."

"I'm still getting used to it myself. I'm… not the god I was before. I'm not sure if I'm the Rhye you all knew, either."

"Are you going to stay?" Henry asks, his tone solemn. "In Storybrooke, I mean."

Hades looks at Regina, who is fingering the golden coin within the pendant. "I'd like to." He then launches into his sales pitch, the one he rehearsed in front of the tiny mirror in the small apartment of the library before he walked over here. "I'd like to remain as the librarian, at least until Belle returns. After that, I'm open to discussion as to where my skills might be utilized best for the town." He waves a hand casually. "It's not like you heroes lack for disasters. And I am a god."

The brunette peers up at him, and the glimmer of happiness in her eyes releases some of the tension in Hades' gut. "You can stay. As librarian. For now."

Hades crosses his arm over his waist and bows slightly. "Your servant, Madame Mayor."

Emma barks out a laugh. "Now that I remember! So that's the real you, huh?"

"To a certain degree. There is no reason for one not to behave like a gentleman, Lady Emma."

Her grin is infectious, and her green eyes sparkle with mirth. "Gentleman indeed. All right then. I guess we'll see how it goes – having the God of Death around might not be so bad."

"You don't need to call me that, though. Just Hades will do." She crinkles her nose in amusement when he winks at her.

Hook's good hand reaches behind Emma possessively. "So, I take it you'll be settling in with Zelena then?"

Hades scowls. Leave it to the pirate to hit him below the belt. "I haven't spoken with Zelena yet."

"She was pretty mad when you didn't return," Henry says seriously. "Like, really mad."

Regina's voice is softer. "At first, she thought Zeus did something to you – trapped you in another realm again. She was obsessed with it. But then a couple weeks ago she changed her tune. Now she thinks you've forgotten about her for some reason. I warned you about how she is."

"I'm going straight to the farmhouse after I leave here."

"Don't toy with her."

"You know I won't. You know how I feel."

"You're right. I do. Take the bike. You'll need it." She gives him a once-over. "Hmm… Maybe not. The suit does work for you…"

"So your power is fully restored?" Charming interrupts. The wariness in his tone is distressing. Hades wishes he knew how to prove to the man that he wasn't his enemy.

"Yes, it is."

Snow lifts Neal's carrier off the bench of the booth and places her son on the table. She slides herself across the vinyl seat and before Hades can blink, she's standing before him, reaching towards his shoulder. "I, for one," she chirps, "think having a god around might be pretty darn useful. We could use someone like him in this town." She pats him rather firmly. "Besides, he's Rhye, and Rhye was my friend. He liked my cooking." Her head tilts. "You did like my cooking, right?"

Hades smiles. "My dear Lady Snow," her purrs, "your cooking was superb enough to serve to the Olympian gods themselves."

Her short hair lifts and she whips her head around. "See? I told you he didn't mind me giving him all that food. He liked it."

"I never said he didn't like it," her husband replies. "I said you never gave him an opportunity to eat anything else."

"Why would he need to eat anything else when he had me to feed him?"

The Savior rolls her eyes. "Enough, Mom."

Snow releases his shoulder with another hard pat and returns to her booth. "I knew he liked it," she coos at Neal. "That's right… he likes my cooking just like you do, doesn't he? Doesn't he?"

Oh dear gods. This is his life now.

The ever-diplomatic Killian speaks up, dissolving the awkwardness. "Well, I for one think it's about time for us all to get on with our evening. I believe Regina has somewhere she needs to be. Shall we, Emma?" He makes a sweeping gesture with his hooked hand, and bows slightly.

The Savior laughs. "Don't quit your day job." She shoves him lightly and rises from the booth. Hook follows her, brows narrowed. Hades feels like preening until he hears Emma murmur softly in the pirate's ear as he exits, "Don't sweat it. Most women prefer bad boys. I know I do."

The pirate's eyes are triumphant and somewhat steely as they meet his in passing. "We'll be seeing you, mate."

"Henry, you're with us tonight," Emma says, placing a hand on her son's shoulder.

Henry glances at Hades, despondent.

The Savoir continues, "I'm sure you want to catch up with… uhh… Hades, but you can see him once the library is open again. You can tell him about all you've done since he's been away."

"I'll be there tomorrow morning, kid."

"Okay." He swipes his phone off the counter, and instantly is tapping away at it again. "See you."

"See you."

The teen takes a few steps towards the door before halting. He turns abruptly and hurries back to Hades, crushing him into a hug. "I'm glad you're okay."

Hades hugs him back, his heart singing. "Likewise. I missed you, kid. And thank you… for everything."

Henry releases him. "You're welcome." Those green eyes flash again, and then he's gone, walking out the front door of the diner with his mom and Hook. Dammit, Zeus has got to be wrong about him. That boy has power, and he has it in spades.

The Charmings are packing up Neal and his numerous baby items, despite the child's fussing. Regina eyes them critically before turning to Hades. "You know she loves you. Zelena."

"Yes, I know."

Her head jerks towards the door. "He loves you too."

"They saved me, Regina. I'd be something horrible now if it wasn't for them. Something evil." He shakes his head. "Truly evil. The debt I owe them cannot be repaid."

"Henry told me about what happened. Zelena… couldn't. She's scared. She's known nothing but rejection."

Hades' words are strained. "You don't think I know that?"

"No, I suppose you do. I just don't think you realize how deeply her emotions run. You may love her, but… you are a god again. She's not, and she never was."

"We're True Love," he says defensively.

"You were True Love. When you were the Lord of the Underworld, and she was the Wicked Witch of the West. Now she's a mother, and a lot less wicked. Well, a little less wicked. And you're not the Lord of the Underworld." Her brows furrow. "Or are you?"

"No, King Arthur has that job now. He needed a little assistance, so now I'm his Merlin. Oh! If you see a bronze eagle flying around Storybrooke, please don't destroy it. He's just looking for me. He's Arthur's carrier pigeon."

Regina laughs softly. "Sometimes I can't believe the world we live in, and I grew up with magic. I'll make sure David and the others know."

"Thanks."

"Love is an extraordinary force," she says quietly. "One of the strongest I've encountered. If what you had with her remains True, the combination of your power will make you both nearly invincible. That's something that will be difficult to ignore."

Her words sting, but Hades is resolute. The gods even verified it. Zelena is his True Love. "We're not going to take over the town, Regina. Neither of us wants that. For the record, she never wanted it."

"Just understand it might take the rest of us a little while to trust you."

"I do. I'll try to explain it to her as well."

The two of them stand in the middle of the dinner for a few moments, the silence growing slightly awkward. Hades breaks it. "He's waiting for you."

"I… I can't believe I'm going to see him again."

"I am sorry. That I couldn't bring him back."

"It… no, it's not okay. But…" She lifts the pendant. "This helps."

"Come by the library tomorrow. I want to make sure everything works the way it should. The magic I used, well – nothing like this has been done before."

Her face falls. "Is it safe?"

"It should be. Look, if I don't see you by noon tomorrow, I'll come find you. The worst that can happen is that you're stuck in the Fields longer than expected. It's paradise there – I'm sure you won't mind."

Regina's grin widens. "No, probably not." She dangles the pendant in front of her, the sliver of wood visible through her fingers wrapped around the chain. She flicks the tiny coin with her other hand and it starts to spin rapidly, emitting a light green glow. It's the energy of Elysium, but Regina probably doesn't know that. She shoots him a quick glance before disappearing in a flash of the grass-green light.

Hades spreads his arms to call forth his power and leave the diner, but Snow's voice stops him. "You did right by her," she says in an uncharacteristically serious tone. "She won't forget it."

"I hope not."

Snow hefts Neal's carrier, shifting its weight to make it easier to carry. "David and Killian are going to need some time," she murmurs, her voice lowered so her husband cannot hear.

"I noticed."

"I'm sure you'll figure something out. Just don't take too long. I prefer to keep my family together, and I don't want them divided because of you." The hint of venom is faint, but it is there all the same.

"Neither do I."

"Do what you can. And please, for all that is good in the world, go and marry Zelena. She's been spitting nails for weeks and making everyone's lives miserable."

Hades laughs. "I'll do what I can."

"Good enough. Good luck to you, then."

"Good evening to you, Lady Snow." He bows grandly before her, calling forth his power so that he disappears in a large, showy ball of blue-white flames. One hurdle down, one to go.

oooooooooooooooo

The anxiety Hades felt while hovering in Granny's diner is nothing compared to what he feels now. He debated which flowers to use, and landed on roses. When all else fails, bring out the red roses. Two dozen were actually awkward to hold, so he vanished six of them away. And now he's standing three feet from Zelena's porch, staring up at the rickety screen door and the scratched wooden one behind it. The sun is low in the sky, casting the house in the long shadows of twilight. Yet instead of looking sinister, it looks frail. In need of protection. And a coat of paint.

So many thoughts are swirling through his mind. Should he propose, like Snow suggested? Is now the right time? Regina's words found fertile soil in his fears – what if they aren't True Love? What if they are too different? Shouldn't they take the time to figure that out? He keeps replaying their past in his mind, over and over. He hasn't done right by her, not once. The memories rewind. Not ever.

His shoulders lift and fall as he sighs heavily. Well, that's about to change. Standing around like an indecisive coward doesn't solve the problem. He sighs again and mounts the stairs. His fist bangs against the wooden frame, loudly rattling the entire door. He hears Robyn's cry, and the corresponding 'shh' from Zelena. She opens the door with the baby on her hip, hair tousled and her pale green shirt stained in two places. Those gorgeous pale blue eyes meet his and she nearly drops her daughter.

"Hades."

"Hello, Zelena." Robyn takes one look at him and buries her head in her mother's neck, suddenly shy. She doesn't recognize him, and his heart pangs. "Hi, little one." He wiggles his fingers at her in a wave.

Zelena groans. "It figures. I've had the day from Hell and I look like death warmed over. So, of course, its King decides to show up on my doorstep."

This is not the warm welcome Hades expected. "Zelena…" She sighs, and the light bulb clicks in his mind. She's exhausted. The bags under her eyes show it, as does the paleness of her skin. Caring for Robyn single-handed is probably a full-time job in itself, and yet somehow she found the time to figure out a way into Olympus and terrorize a third of the gods to look for him. Only to find he was off galavanting around Tartarus. It's a wonder she didn't slam the door in his face.

Insight burns bright, and he knows what to do. He's watched Charming play out this scenario with Snow and Neal hundreds of times.

"Can I help?" he asks. Her daughter squirms in her arms, fussing. "I can watch her for a bit, if you'd like. Here…" He offers Zelena the flowers, and Robyn instantly attempts to grab them. Hades flicks his thumb and they hover above her, out of reach and spinning slowly. The tiny girl is fascinated by this and quiets, mesmerized by the roses.

"Clever," Zelena states, peering down at her daughter. "I'll have to remember that one."

"Zelena, I would have been here sooner if I could have. I'd like to explain. Let me help you get things settled and then perhaps we can talk."

Her lower lip trembles. "Okay."

He wants to tell her she doesn't have to be alone any longer. That he's here for her. But her resolve is paper thin, and there are practical matters to attend to. He reaches for Robyn, still gaping up at the flowers. Zelena reluctantly hands her to him, and he marvels at her weight. "She's heavier."

"Tell me about it." She turns and walks towards the kitchen, her slippered feet scuffing the dusty floor. Hades follows her, enticing the flowers to hover just beyond Robyn's reach. "They're pretty, aren't they?" he murmurs to her. "I think your momma would like them if she wasn't so tired. But I'm going to help with that."

Robyn gurgles at him and reaches again for the roses.

"Watch this, sweetie," he tells her. He shifts her weight in his arms and frees his hand enough to use his index finger to extract one rose. He snaps it against his thumb and it turns puffy and plush. A stuffed rose. He coaxes it near her and Robyn pulls it from the air with a happy cry. She snuggles it, and Hades snuggles her. "I can do all kinds of neat tricks now. You just wait – we're going to have tons of fun."

He zaps the remaining roses into a crystalline vase on a small table in the hallway. Pleased, he crosses the threshold into the kitchen, only to screech to a halt three steps in. The once-tidy kitchen now has dishes piled high in the sink, on the counter, and on that awful metal table of hers. Some are clean. Others are not. Paper bags from the local grocery store are lined along the far wall, and Zelena is standing in the middle of it all with her back to him, shoulders slumped.

"Forgive the mess," she grumbles. "Like I said, rough day."

More like a rough month. "Zelena, why haven't you used magic to clean this up?"

"Because I don't want to rely on it all the time. It comes with a price, you know. Always."

Hades snorts. "Not for me, it doesn't."

Her head spins around, blue eyes flashing. "Since when?"

"Since forever? Gods are magic. Well, sort of. And per my dear brother, I'm a rather unique one." He hands the quietly cooing infant back to her mother. Bowing low, he uses his formal, knightly speech patterns from Rhye and says, "With your permission, milady, I would like to assist you in the tidying of this kitchen."

Zelena laughs softly, shifting her daughter's weight in her arms. "All right then. Have a go at it."

Hades straightens himself and rubs his palms together. The power hums and he focuses his attention on the dishes first. Feeling ambitious, he decides to take a page out of Walt's book, and he recreates the assembly line dishwashing magic from Fantasia. Then he flicks the cabinets open, and with a flash of blue-white light, they start to organize themselves. The canisters of formula in the paper bags on the floor begin to hover in the air, glowing slightly, waiting for their assigned place.

Robyn squeals heartily at the dishes and pantry items moving around on their own. Zelena is less amused, but her lips do turn up in a grin. "Show off," she murmurs.

Hades shrugs. "Robyn likes it. She liked my flowers, too."

Zelena fingers the plush rose in her daughter's hands. "I noticed."

"So, shall we move on to the next room?"

Her brows furrow. "What is this… you show up on my doorstep after three months just to be my maid?"

Hades temper flares. This woman! "No, I showed up on your doorstep because I am in love with you, and if there's something within my power that I can do to help you… well, I'm going to do it. Now are you going to let me help you, or are we going to stand here and waste time arguing about it?"

Her lips part slightly, but she doesn't reply.

He steps towards her, invading her space and Robyn's, the latter still watching the animated dishes from over her mother's shoulder. He traces the back of his hand down her cheek. "I know you're tired. I know you were worried, and it's my fault again – I should have told you I was going to Tartarus, which has a completely different time scale than here. I wasn't thinking straight. But I am now, and that's why I'm here."

"Zeus mentioned it." She pauses. "You saw your father?"

"Yes. I can explain it all, but first, let's turn your rotten day into a rosy one, okay?"

She smiles. It's watery, but it is a smile just the same. "Okay."

oooooooooooooooooooo

Four hours later, Robyn is sitting next to him on a large blanket in the middle of the now-cleaned living room. He is stacking blocks, and she is knocking them over again and again like a tiny Godzilla. Her mother is curled up in the wingback chair in the corner, fast asleep, her slippered feet propped up on a small ottoman.

Hades glances at her and then the overflowing table in the corner. There's more material piled on that table than any one person can absorb in a lifetime. He's going to have to take a look at it after he puts Robyn to bed. He peers down at the little girl that is quickly stealing his heart.

"You getting tired of demolishing Japan yet, little one?" She squeaks and swats at a pile. "Well, I am. And given that it has been dark outside for a while, I think it might be past your bedtime."

He hefts her up and she pushes her head against his neck, snuggling into him. His breath catches a bit in his throat. He's never known anything like this – taking care of a child. A flutter of uncertainty prickles his spine. He turns his head towards Zelena, but she's still fast asleep.

"I can do this," he murmurs. "I am a god. Gods can do anything."

Twenty minutes later, Hades returns to the living room, feeling like he survived the Trojan War. Whoever invented disposable diapers needs to be drawn and quartered, and then hauled before a firing squad and shot. Even his magic couldn't quite manage to put the diaper on properly. He had to hold the squirming baby down with one hand and direct the diaper to open and fold with the other. But at least she was now clean and sleeping contently in her crib in her cute little sheep pajamas. He got the pajama part right, or at least he hopes he did.

Zelena is still asleep in the chair. Her deep, even breathing sends a soothing feeling of peace through him. Maybe now she knows she can finally relax. She deserves some rest, and clearly needs it.

He wanders over to the table in the corner, quietly snooping through her books and papers. A lot of them are about Zeus and Greek mythology in general, and he wonders what their true purpose was. They showed up after he told her he was still alive, and somehow, these books helped her find a way into Olympus. He lifts the nearest one and starts flipping through it, stopping when he comes to the chapter on him. Chuckling, he leans against the table and begins to read.

He's muttering to himself about the ridiculousness of the supposedly-factual book when Zelena's voice breaks him out of his reverie. "Rather nosey, aren't you?" she murmurs. Seconds later she bolts upright. "Where's Robyn?"

"Relax. She's fine. I put her to bed about twenty minutes ago. Well, maybe longer. Those diapers – they're impossible."

"You have no idea." She hefts herself to her feet. "I'm going to check on her."

"Of course." He watches her pad away in her rumpled clothes. Poor woman probably needs to do laundry too.

When she returns, she's no longer a domesticated mess. Whether magic was involved, or not, he can't tell. But her hair is pulled back neatly in a ponytail, and she's bundled herself in mint green pajamas and a white fluffy rob. "You did a good job with her," she says with a hint of surprise in her voice.

He grins. "I have my moments."

She returns it. "Yes, you do."

"Feeling better?"

She sits on one side of the loveseat. "A little." She looks up at him, her expression serious. "What happened... afterward? Zeus said you knew what happened… what we did."

"I do, and I am indebted to you all. Zelena, the three of you saved me from a fate far worse than any I could have imagined."

"Your brother didn't go into details, but I saw the darkness. I could feel it. It was terrifying." She cringes and he joins her on the loveseat, placing one hand over hers.

"Zelena, I can't apologize enough for the things I've done, the hurt I've caused you. Our past… it isn't what it should be. But I do love you, and I want to be a part of your life. That's why I'm here."

"I know. I want that too."

"It doesn't need to be today. A lot has happened, and now that I have my powers restored, I can make our lives, and the heroes lives, well… easier. Maybe after things calm down, you and I can spend some time together."

"So... Tartarus is Hell, isn't it?"

Hades notes the topic change, but answers her anyway. "It is. That's why I was gone so long. Time moves slower there. I was there for maybe eight hours, tops. Here, it was eight weeks."

"Oh! Well, I wish I knew that."

"I know. I should have come here first and told you and Henry. But I was on Olympus, and I could only think of the wrong I'd done. My father. The Underworld. Robin."

"So what did you do? With your father."

"I offered him his freedom. He declined. He's actually quite happy in Tartarus. Made himself his own private paradise, kind of like Las Vegas. I found Cerberus down there too. He was a good dog. He'll keep my father on his toes."

"And Robin? Was he in Tartarus too?"

"No, he's in the Elysian Fields. You know, Heaven."

"Where my mother went."

"Yes."

"Zeus brought the pirate back from the dead." She glances towards Robyn's bedroom. "Is Robin Hood back now too?"

"No, but I gave Regina a pendant that'll allow her to visit him. He can't leave; the magic of the Fields prohibits it. But I don't think he would leave, even if he could. He and I spoke for quite a while – I figured I owed him an apology, and an explanation. He said he wasn't all that upset. He'd claimed he'd cheated death a number of times, even before he was in Storybrooke. His said his time was overdue, and he chose to die with honor, protecting Regina. He was afraid if he returned, Death would come find him again. I tried to tell him that the Fates didn't work that way, but he wouldn't listen. He refused to put your sister through that kind of pain again."

"He was a decent man. I lived with him for a while, and I saw what Regina sees in him. That was until he tried to keep my daughter from me." She turns to face him. "Does it bother you? That I was with him? That Robyn is his?"

"No, it doesn't. That was your past. I don't particularly like that he and you were intimate, but I think any man would feel that way about a woman he cared about."

"Everyone thought I did it on purpose. Robyn. But I didn't. It honestly was an accident. I wanted him to love me as Marion, because it would tear Regina apart, but I didn't expect it to go that far. It happened one night after Roland fell asleep. I remember the rain. It was pouring rain. He just was there, and kind, and I really was rather lonely. It got out of hand. I couldn't say no, I was supposed to be Marion. And there was no magic for protection."

"Well, they use other things in that realm, but no, I wouldn't think that he would have thought he needed them." Hades looks towards Robyn's room. "Things happen for a reason, Zelena. She's not an accident."

"I know. I wouldn't trade her for anything. Even when she's fussy." She leans back against the sofa. "Or exhausting. So, what's with the Underworld? Last I heard that dingbat King Arthur was ruling it."

"He is. Don't laugh, but I'm helping him."

She does laugh. "Oops. Sorry. Why?"

"He's in over his head. Ruling the Underworld requires magic, powerful magic. So… I'm going to step in whenever he needs some."

"Like Merlin. You… are Merlin to the actual King Arthur."

Hades' grin is wide. "I know. I think it's pretty cool."

"You think you're pretty cool."

He straightens the lapels of his suit, which are rumpled from all his interactions with Robyn. "I define cool. Cool didn't exist until I came along."

She shoves his shoulder. "Egotist."

He rebounds and bumps his shoulder against hers. "Gods don't have egos. Egos are beneath us."

She pushes him again, harder. "You gods are pathetic. All talk, no action."

Ha! How little she knows. "And you've decided this based on your field trip to Olympus, I presume?"

She grins that wide, wicked grin of hers. "I have. They were quite surprised when I showed up."

"No mortal has ever set foot on Olympian soil. It's impossible. Which begs the question, how did you do it?"

She brushes back the loose strands of hair touching her cheek. "It wasn't easy."

"Zelena, it's impossible. Olympus is protected with an insanely powerful spell."

"With a big, giant hole in it!"

Hades blinks. "What?"

"Where Olympus touches the sky, the spell is weak. I assume this is so that the gods can enter the heavens whenever they want… something like that."

"But Zelena, that doesn't explain how you got through."

She laughs. "Hades… who am I?"

"Um… you're Zelena?"

"Zelena… the…"

"Wicked Witch of the West?" The light dawns. "You flew?"

She nods, giggling.

He can't hide his amusement, and his amazement. "You flew your broom over Mount Olympus?"

"It wasn't hard. I had the wand. I teleported to the base of the mountain, beefed up my broom, and that was that." She brushes her hands together, as if they were dusty. "However, the broom didn't quite survive the trip through the spell. I got a little banged up, too. But the wand fixed that quick enough. I planned to use it to return, although your brother was kind enough to send me home. Did he tell you about our little chat?"

Hades rewinds his memory. "No."

She chuckles low in her throat. "I'm not surprised."

"Zelena, you know that any of those gods could have killed you in an instant, right? My brother in particular?"

"Perhaps. I wondered why they let me scorch the place like I did. I was a little… upset. I thought Zeus might have played a trick on us all. Brought you back, only to banish you and curse you again."

"No," Hades says quietly, "I don't think he'd do that again. It's my fault he did it in the first place."

"How was it your fault?"

"I killed our father. I forced him into the role of King of Gods. He had to prove he would do what was needed for Olympus, for the greater good so to speak."

"Oh."

Hades sighs. "I know. I should have come to Storybrooke first and explained everything." He runs his fingers through his hair. "I really am bad at this. Relationships. Selflessness."

"I don't think you're that bad at it."

"Zelena, you are being overly kind. I am terrible at this."

"All right, you are. But I am too. So, do you want to hear about your brother?"

"I do. What happened?"

"Before or after I bounced him off the ceiling for grabbing my ass?"

"You… what?"

"He had it coming. He knew who I was. You don't know what he said to me on that dance floor, and for the sake of your relationship with him, I'm not going to repeat it."

Hades ire flickers, but quickly subsides. Zelena can obviously handle herself. "You're still lucky he didn't obliterate you."

"And risk facing off with you again? Doubtful. He's got major guilt issues about you." She stands and heads toward the table overflowing with books. "Anyway, I did get this back from him. I know how much you liked it." She reached around the side of the far bookshelf and retrieves something long, wrapped in the muslin fabric of the gods and tied with a golden cord.

She returns to the sofa and puts it in his lap. It can only be his sword, the one David gave him. "I'd prefer you not unravel it, just in case Robyn gets grabby by accident. In fact, if you can magic it away, that'd make me feel loads better."

"Zelena…" He doesn't know what to say. He did like this sword, a great deal, and he did plan on returning to Olympus to retrieve it. He waves it away, back to his apartment. This is what Regina meant when she said Zelena's emotions run deep. It's not just her emotions, it's her motivation. The piles of papers, her exhaustion, it's her gift to those she loves. She gives her all, and then some.

He remembers her silhouette profile when she cast the time spell. Her hair streaked to white. He reaches out and runs his fingers down the burnished copper. "You've done so much for me, I can't even begin catch up."

She captures his hand in hers. "It's not a contest. You've done a lot for me too."

"Only to repair the sacrifices you've made."

"It's the least I could do… after all, I did destroy you."

He laughs wryly. "I suppose there was that."

"I don't think you're ready to kiss and make up yet, though."

He smiles slowly. "You don't?"

"Nope," she quips.

Before she can react, Hades takes her face in his hands and kisses her. He can feel her surprise, until she yields and gives in to the chemistry they share, the power that makes his heart skip a beat each and every time he touches her. Her fingers are in his hair, and suddenly the atmosphere around them is charged, intense.

He tries to fight it, afraid they'll go too far to fast, but the pull is undeniable. She's adept at removing his clothes, although his magic removes the majority, and soon they're little between them but a silken pair of green panties and his boxers. He runs his fingers down her side, teasing that smooth skin, and she gasps his name in his ear. His pulse is pounding in his brain and when the heat from her palm touches him, he nearly goes insane.

He wants her. He loves her. But she's mortal, and caught up in the moment. He doesn't want her to regret this later.

He leans back, his mind lost in that sea of blue. "Zelena… we don't… not if you…"

The sea darkens to molten steel. "You think too much." Her fingers trace his hairline, and he yields, pressing his lips to hers. Instantly there's a surge of magic around him. He wonders if it is True Love's Kiss yet again, but the jolt of teleportation confirms otherwise.

She's brought him to her bed, and she's laid out before him, a goddess in the dim light.

"Impressive," he murmurs. "In more ways than one."

She pulls him down to her. "I've waited entirely too long for this."

Hades can't help it – he laughs. She has no idea. "Zelena, I've waited a lifetime for you."

"Well, now our wait is over, isn't it?"

He brushes a strand of fiery copper away from her temple. "Yes. Yes, it is."

~~Epilogue~~

The wind whips through Hades' hair as he speeds towards the farmhouse on his black-and-red Harley Davidson Road King. The infamous August finally returned to Storybrooke a few months ago, and was surprisingly not upset that Hades had borrowed his bike during his time as Rhye the Knight. "It needed to be run. I'm glad you took 'er out for me a few times." It was he who recommended the Road King, and Hades couldn't be more pleased with it.

August intrigued him from their first meeting, but subsequent ones had not occurred. Belle claimed the man was spending a lot of time in the library as well, and Hades was intrigued. He never did find out what Regina's secret mission for the adult Pinocchio actually was.

Hades did miss observing the in's and out's of the town from behind the library's front desk, but now that Belle was off maternity leave, she had resumed her post with newborn son in tow. She and Hades found common ground easily when she learned of his desire to move his own library from the Underworld into an additional wing off the existing library. They discussed plans to do this often, but Belle wanted to make sure the layout was perfect before she let him use his power.

Things had definitely fallen into a semblance of normal… well, for Storybrooke. Hyde was now trapped in The Dark One's Pandora's Box, and the Evil Queen was frozen in one of Zelena's time spells. No one was sure what to do with her, and it was up to Regina to decide her fate. The subsequent calm was unusual at first, but over time it became routine. It was as if evil knew not to mess with the quiet town now that Hades was a permanent resident.

Additionally, his new assignment as a history teacher within the high school was a match made in Heaven for him. The teens of the town were fascinated by him as much as he was inspired by them. It also let him keep an eye on Henry, a task which was becoming increasingly important. The green flash in the boy's eyes was morphing into a dim glow, and Hades wanted to be nearby in case that glow decided to spark into flame – particularly over a dispute regarding Violet's many suitors. The young girl was becoming strikingly pretty as she aged, and she drew a great deal of attention from the hormonal teenaged boys. Henry himself was attracting his own harem of fan-girls, but he had eyes only for Violet. It was sweet, their teen romance, but Hades wondered, and worried, when it would end.

He shrugs in his thick leather jacket and pulls the throttle back to accelerate into the turn. Maybe they were True Love, too. You never can tell. He pats the lump in his jacket affectionately. It is going to take the strength of True Love to get Zelena to agree to his latest idea. But with Robyn now fully mobile, and getting into more trouble that Hades thought possible, another set of eyes to watch over her wouldn't hurt.

He skids up the driveway dramatically, playing with the bike and delighting in the feeling of recklessness. A sharp voice calls out to him from the porch. "Must you do that every time you ride that contraption?"

"But Zelena, you love this bike. You said so last weekend when we were up on the hill."

"I do not love it when it creates ruts in the driveway. Robyn's tricycle bounces over them, and when she pedals fast, it tips over."

Hades flicks his fingers and the crushed stone returns to its normal flat and smooth layer. "There. Better?"

Zelena waves her hand and the driveway turns to asphalt. "No. Doesn't it look so much better like that? Safer?"

Hades duplicates her gesture and returns it back to grey gravel. "No, it is safer this way. Asphalt gets hot. It can burn her skin."

She laughs. "Okay. We can argue about it again tomorrow."

"We always do." The bundle in his jacket wiggles, and he presses his hand on it firmly. "I brought us something that might solve our Robyn observation problems."

The pale eyes light up with happiness as he hurries up the porch stairs. She kisses him lightly before blurting, "You did? What is it? Because I'm worried she's learning how to teleport. I swear I put her in her crib earlier today but when I turned my back for one second, she wound up on the changing table across the room."

"She's not learning how to teleport, Zelena. She's climbing from the crib onto the dresser and then onto the changing table. I've seen her try it numerous times."

Zelena's eyes widen and she grins. "Clever little thing, isn't she?"

"According to Regina, that climbing ability runs in the family. Robin said so."

"Good to know. Or perhaps not so good. We should probably go visit him soon – it's been over a month. So… where's this wondrous solution of yours?"

Hades grins and unzips his jacket. The single dark head pokes out and sniffs the air, whining softly. "It's okay," he mutters, rubbing behind an extra-soft puppy ear. "You're okay. This is where you're going to live now."

Zelena's voice is tight. "What. Is. That?"

"It's a puppy."

"Hades… that is not a puppy."

"Sure it is."

"Its eyes are red! They're glowing! No… you didn't. We talked about this. No Hellhounds."

"You said I couldn't bring Cerberus here. And I agreed. A full-grown, three-headed Hellhound does not belong anywhere near Robyn. But…" He lifts the tiny animal out from his jacket. "A baby Hellhound that grows up with her would be a fantastic protector."

His wife raises her eyebrow in that quintessential distrustful look of hers that reminds him of the day he knew she was the one.

He smiles his most charming smile and holds out his hand to her, cuddling the puppy tight against his chest with the other. "Please. Trust me."

"That doesn't work with me Hades, and you know it."

Actually, it did, and they both knew it. Hades continues, rather pleased with his ingenuity about the whole thing. "This is a perfect solution. It kills three birds with one stone. One - I couldn't leave my father without his jogging buddy. Two - Arthur still needs something to help him keep things under control. Three – We need another set of eyes for Robyn. Solution: One Hellhound head, complete with a new and improved Hellhound body, goes to the Underworld to help Arthur. That bratty center head and the old body stay with my father, because he loves that monster for some reason, and this head, which has always been my favorite, gets come home with me."

The little furry bundle stretched up and licked his chin. "Oh, and I might have made her a bit more intelligent than she was before. She understood that." He looks down at the adorable fluffball curled in the crook of his shoulder. "Well, I think she did."

"Hades. We cannot have a Hellhound in this house."

He ignores her and puts the puppy down onto the hardwood floors. The tiny black nose sniffs and sniffs, the stocky body winding its way towards the kitchen. A loud cry from Robyn's room startles the pup, and it flattens itself to the floor. There's a thump, then a trio of bumps and then the telltale sound of socked feet running through the hallway.

"Robyn!" Zelena calls. "No running in the house!"

The flopping pace of socked feet slows, ever-so-slightly. It stops when Robyn turns the corner and spots the baby Hellhound in front of her.

The two study each other, and the wiser hound wiggles to its feet. It 'wuffs' softly at the little girl, and she covers her mouth to stifle her squeal of delight. They'd worked with her for weeks on using an 'inside voice' and their patience was finally starting to pay off.

Her frizzy red head twists upward, blue eyes wide. "Puppy? Mine?"

Hades looks at Zelena. "You want to tell her?"

His wife rolls her eyes dramatically before replying with a sigh, "Yes, sweet pea. But she's for all of us."

Robyn's squeal can't be contained. She rushes towards the puppy and scoops it up into her arms. It yelps and Robyn instantly replies, "Oh! I'ze sorry!" and releases her grip to hold it less tightly. "Dat better?" The little dog yips and Robyn states, "Good. My name is Robyn. What's yours?"

The puppy replies with growls and Hades and Zelena share a look. Robyn has already shown magical talent on more than one occasion, but this is new. And a little alarming.

"Made it intelligent, did you?" Zelena murmurs in his ear.

"I thought so. My mind was on ensuring it would watch over her."

"I see," she says smugly. It's an old argument. He isn't specific with his magic, and sometimes it brings about interesting results. Like the original Road King, which wound up trimmed in 24 karat gold.

"You can name her whatever you like, little one." Hades tells Robyn, taking Zelena's hand in his, squeezing it to let her know that she was right - he should have been more specific. She squeezes back gently, forgiving him, her eyes reflecting her emotions over the sheer adorableness in front of them.

The dark red eyes of the puppy burn straight into him and it growls a tiny, squeaky growl.

"She already has a name, Daddy Hades," the toddler scolds, shaking her head. "I dunno why dey don't listen," she tells the puppy in her arms. It whimpers and she puts it down on the floor. "Dere you go. You want to come with me to da kitchen? Mommy made cookies today."

"Robyn, sweetie… you know those are for later." Zelena walks over to her daughter, who has chosen to ignore her mother and head for the kitchen anyway, the tiny Hellhound following her like a shadow.

Hades removes his coat and his boots and joins his family in the kitchen. The 1950's décor remains but he at least was able to conjure a more suitable table. Robyn is in her booster seat, with a sippy cup in front of her, the puppy cradled in her lap. It looks up at him and snorts, and Robyn laughs.

"She called you a funny name!"

Hades eyes the little animal and then his casual attire. I'll bet she did.

"I think it's more important that we know her name, don't you?"

"I know her name," Robyn says firmly.

"Yes but you haven't told us what it is," Zelena says in her Patient Mother voice. "Wouldn't it be better if we all knew?"

"It's hard to say," the toddler replies, hesitant.

"Is it Cerberus?" Hades asks.

Red curls shake from side to side. "Dat doesn't sound right." The puppy growls its tiny growl again. "Okay. She says her name is Koos-toes, and she's gonna protect me from da bad people."

"Oh?" Zelena's voice is eerily calm. "What bad people?"

"The ones I haf to fight when I'm a grown-up."

Hades and Zelena share a sigh of relief at the lack of an immediate threat, but then their eyes meet. "'Custos' means 'guardian' in Latin," he tells her.

The tiny puppy sniffs the air and then yips in the toddler's arms. "I see," Robyn purrs, a direct echo of her mother's tone from five minutes earlier. "She says it's not jus' me." More growls. "She says she'll protect my brudder, too. You did'n tell me I was gonna have a brudder! I don't want one!" She starts to cry and Zelena calmly lifts her daughter into her arms while Hades takes the overly chatty Hellhound puppy in his. "Look what you did," he mutters at the hound, who flattens her ears. "She's not even three yet. Don't scare her with the future."

Robyn has her head tucked under Zelena's neck, her thumb firmly in her mouth. Zelena squeezes her tightly before murmuring, "Well, I suppose next spring is the future, but really, it's not that far away."

Hades head whips up. "You're…? We're….?"

"We are. I found out yesterday and wanted to wait for the right time to tell you. But it seems the cat… well, baby Hellhound… is out of the bag." She shoots a dark look at the puppy. "Way to spoil the surprise."

The tiny ears flatten further, and Hades pats the soft head. "It's okay. It's not your fault." He puts the puppy on the kitchen floor and walks towards his wife, his heart pounding faster with each passing step. She can read the look in his eyes, and she pries the clinging Robyn from her neck. "Why don't you show Custos around the house? You'll need to show her all the toys she shouldn't chew on."

The toddler snuffles. "Okay, Mommy. But no brudders, alwight?"

"I promise you, no brothers are arriving at this house today. One demon puppy is more than enough."

When she finally disappears into the other room, Hades takes his wife in his arms and kisses her. He's never felt such joy in his entire immortal life. "Zelena," he murmurs into her hair, his hands instinctively grazing over her abdomen. "You have made me the happiest man in all the realms."

"We're going to have a baby," she chirps, giddy with the excitement. "You and me. Our baby."

"A son."

"According to your psychic puppy, yes. But we'll let the ultrasound confirm it in a few weeks."

"I'm going to be a father…. I'm going to be a father!" Panic floods him. "Zelena, I can't be a father. Gods are terrible fathers – it's written throughout history. Look at Zeus! And Apollo! Look at my own father! They're terrible!"

"Relax. You're going to be a wonderful father."

"How do you know?"

Robyn and the puppy come barreling through the kitchen, thundering by the two of them only to disappear off into the hallway. "Robyn!" Hades barks. "No running in the house!"

Zelena kisses him lightly on the cheek. "Because you already are."

Gods, he loves this woman. "I have no idea what I ever did to deserve you."

"You deserve every single bit of me that you get. Now c'mon, Daddy Hades, let's figure out what we're having for dinner."

Robyn's voice hollers from the hallway. "Custos says she wants somet'ing called 'elk' for dinner. Mommy – I want elk for dinner too!"

Hades rolls his eyes before grinning wide and pulling Zelena close, reveling in that sweet scent that is uniquely hers. Yup, Zeus can have all of that mystical power and glory of Olympus. This is the only kingdom he'll ever need.

...~ THE END ~...

Final Author's Note:

I want to thank all of you for coming along with me on this journey. Writing this was actually an experiment: I wanted to see if I could create and execute a novel-length plot. The word counters don't exactly agree, but I'd say this fic is ~100K words, which qualifies as a novel, and then some! There are flaws in this story; like Hades, I am not perfect. But I have learned a great deal from writing this. If any of you out there are aspiring authors like me, and your genre of choice is the novel, I recommend you take a stab at a novel-type fanfic first. Your work will benefit from it, and your original novel won't suffer your learning curve.

Special acknowledgement and thanks goes out to UnfairestOfThemAll, my beta and my friend. Who would have thought that my random request would lead us here, huh? Here's to many more stories, and many more reasons to burn in Hell. I'll save you a spot next to me.

Additional thanks goes out to my loyal readers and reviewers, with a tip of the hat to unbrokensaviorwithperfecthair. Our PM chats helped keep me going - because I always knew you were out there, ready to read and leave an honest review. Thanks!

I will miss writing about Hades. He really was a lot of fun, and I'd like to think I did his character, as well as Zelena's and the rest of the heroes, some amount of justice. I don't know the future of OUAT, or Zelena, but I'd like to think that eventually she'll get the happy ending she deserves. If not, there's always fanfic! :-)