Hi Everyone! Sorry this chapter took so long for me to put up. I really enjoyed writing and reviewing it which I did one too many times. I finally decided to just submit it. I Hope you guys like it! Please don't forget to review! Thank you so much! Xoxo

Chapter 11

A Deal from Hell

Emma catches one last glimpse of a shackled Rumple and an agitated Regina before the hood is placed over her head making everything dark. Emma starts to feel her blood surging again with anxiety. Her heartbeat immediately quickens as sweet pours down her face. Suddenly, she feels her eyelids grow heavy, her breath becoming deeper while her heart rate slows down; it feels as though an anesthetic is taking over. 'It feel so good.' No longer in control nor caring she succumbs to the feeling of drugs coursing through her body.

To Emma only a minute has passed as the hood is removed from her head; the light shining so brightly it blinds her. She raises her arm over her eyes to shield them from the discomfort. Slowly she's able to bring into focus the surroundings. They are standing in a beautiful courtyard of some sort. The floor looks to be made of marble and the surrounding walls are enormous with arched panes of frosted white glass. It's almost felt as though they stood in a greenhouse if it wasn't for the large ancient looking tables and antique elegant furniture. Emma takes in the dozens of green trees, fountains and Greek sculptures everywhere. But the most incredible sculpture isn't made of stone at all...It appears to be a man! An Adonis of a man who is walking towards them. Emma is taken with his beauty. He is majestic and tall with long dirty blond hair and a chiseled face. He has piercing blue eyes that are so clear they look like crystals only contrasted by his deep dark eyebrows. His flawless skin is white with a perfect golden tan that serves to outline every muscle as he walks towards them wearing a short white chiton leaving his right shoulder as bare as his feet . Emma has never before seen a man as beautiful as he.

"Welcome to Tartarus. I am Hades."

'Oh dear God I just checked out the Devil!' Emma shakes her head snapping out of her stupor and watches as he approaches Regina. Emma stands in shock as he takes Regina's hand and kisses it like the perfect 'motherfucking Adonis-looking gentleman!'

Hades turns to Emma, "I know, I know. I'm terribly sorry for what happened to your friend back there, really the creatures can sometimes be so barbaric. I assure you he is safe and will be fine."

Emma continues to look at him, mouth agape not knowing what to say or do. Hades was charming, attractive and polite. Emma could not have anticipated this in the least. She believed he would be vile and grotesque. She also envisioned him incredibly frightening. The kind of scary that keeps children paralyzed and makes the "monsters under the bed" appear friendly. 'He should have a long pointy tail, beady yellow eyes, fangs and a devil-like pitchfork!' She thought to herself. But here he was standing there like a model from a vogue magazine.

"In little time I will have them take you to him and you shall see for yourself how well he is. But first you all must be famished and thirsty."

He snaps his fingers and an assembly of ridiculously hot, half naked women, also wearing white chitons, bring an array of different foods. They carry grapes, cheese, cured meats and bread. They pour from large adorned jars what looks like wine into golden goblets. Emma feels her stomach stir with the scent.

Emma, Regina and Rumple stand there unmoving.

"I apologize if this didn't seem like a proper introduction but I assure you it can wait and besides I already know who you all are."

He looks at Rumple with a small smirk as he says this.

"We're not hungry." Regina found her voice before Emma.

"I can see her majesty yields for no one. Not even I, the great and mighty Hades." He says this with a proud and amused smile as if he were talking to his child.

"Now...Dark One, welcome back. Heresay to the Dark of course." He walks over to him and pats him on the shoulder. "I must say its always fitted you better than any of the others."

Now he turns and walks to Emma, "But please don't take offense to that Savior as you are my favorite Savior of them all. Unlike my friend up above, eh?" He cackles.

"And my Queen...Regina." At this Hades' eyes gloss over and he becomes serious. "You are far more beautiful in person than I could have ever imagined.

Emma doesn't like this. She doesn't understand what the hell is going on but she doesn't like this one bit.

"Where's the bird?" Regina looks determined as ever. Even now Emma can't help but admire her. She doesn't show the least bit of fear nor insecurity.

"Who? Her? She's fine. She needed a little time out for being a naughty girl."

When seeing Regina's face of disbelief Hades huffs and calls out, "Persephone. Come and show my guests how well you are."

'Persephone?' Emma's mind is racing...'The wife of Hades? This was a trap all along!'

Persephone, no longer in her raven form, walks out grimly. "I am here dear husband," she says sarcastically.

"Now you see my Queen she is well. You can all see it. Shall we move on then?"

"Hades, you have me, now let them go!" Persephone pleads with him.

"Oh come on now wife. No one here, save you of course, is a prisoner. They are my guests. My very alive guests. I am fully aware they will be leaving soon and no thanks to your intervening I may never have gotten the chance to meet them personally.

"Hades. You've gone too far." Persephone tries to continue speaking but no words make it out of her.

Hades raises his hand and turns her into a Raven again and she's completely mute, "That'll be enough of that. I can see you all would rather talk business first and then relax. Alright let's cut to the chase then...Now, Savior, you wish to save your private am I right?"

"Yes," is all Emma manages to say.

"Well good then. I think he is a soul who could use some saving. I have no problem letting you take him as long as he is able to go and all I ask is for some time with you all. Is that too much to ask for?"

"Do we have a choice?" Hades walks over towards Regina.

"There is always a choice." He stands unmoving in front of her.

As she looks into his evil blue eyes Regina understands very clearly what the options are. Indulge this monster to get Hook back or don't but that means Emma will never see Hook again. As much as Regina wants to leave here, whether they rescue guyliner or not, she feels compelled to finish this mission for Emma's sake. Especially as she stands there looking like a sad and frightened child. She's certain Emma is probably screaming inside her head to go but she can't do that to her. She owes her too much. Even if she didn't she truly wants Emma to be happy. 'Since when did I start caring so much about Emma's happiness?'

"Alright then Hades. What did you have in mind?" Regina gives him her best Queen stare.

"Regina wait!" Emma jumps forward and pulls Regina away from him and towards herself.

"No problem ladies talk amongst yourselves..I'll be over here enjoying the wine." Hades keeps his eyes on them as he walks away talking to Rumple.

"What are you doing? Do you want to save him or not?" Regina whispers harshly.

Emma feels so guilty with the weight of that question after witnessing Hook being torn apart and she being powerless to stop it, "Of course I do! But..."

"But what? We are running out of options here."

Emma's mind is raging with contradictions. She's can't get that bloody image out of her mind. Hook is already dead so of course it didn't kill him and as horrible as it was to watch him suffer that way she can now only think of what could have been. Hook is already dead but Regina is alive...'What if they had tried to hurt her?' How could she ever face her son again if she let anything happen to Regina? Emma's eyes well up with unshed tears. She hesitates not sure if she should voice her thoughts, "Not at Your...at our expense." Emma can't stop fidgeting.

"Emma." Regina starts like a chastising mom.

"No! Regina something isn't right. I don't like the way he looks at you...I don't know."

"Oh my God! Really Ms. Swan? Please, he's just the Devil. I can handle myself." Regina frustratedly thinks, 'I hate it when she underestimates me! Doesn't she remember I'm the Evil Queen?'

"That's not what I'm saying. The Raven, Persephone, turned back into bird over there appears to have tried by all means to keep us away from him. Isn't she like his Greek Goddess kidnapped wife or something? Why was she helping us? What if it wasn't about us. What if it was about y..."

"Don't say it Swan! You're giving me the creeps."

"Well good! You should be creeped out. That right there is the King of the Creeps! And he's all over you. Gah."

Regina takes a deep breath. Emma is clearly not thinking straight. This is all too much for her. Regina suspected after the tunnels who Persephone was. And she was curios as to why the obsession with helping them. 'An angry wife seeking revenge for being taken against her will?' That's all Regina had right now And that's what she was going with. She didn't have time for anything else. "So what's your plan?"

"Staying away from him!" Emma shouts.

"I highly doubt his majesty over there will allow that." Rumple comes up behind Regina.

"And what were you two talking about?" Regina eyes him suspiciously.

"I was negotiating."

"Of course you were! Why did we ever think to bring you with us?! What?! Did you trade our souls to eternal damnation for a free ride as dark one for eternity?!"

"Regina calm down I'm already the Dark One for all of eternity."

"Yeah but not The Dark One." Chimes in Emma.

Rumple's sighs loudly feeling exacerbated with the two untrusting women. No one more than he wants to get out of hell already and go home. He knew that running into Hades, the one dark being with greater powers than he, would be a catastrophe. This entire trip he tried desperately to avoid this as he feared this very situation. For as evil, manipulative and terrible as he has been...he knew Hades would make him look like a toddler by comparison. They needed to get away from him as soon as possible.

"He said, he will let Emma go to the pirate now as long as the two of us stay here with him."

"Why?" Regina firmly asks.

"I don't know. Nor do I like it either but we must do whatever necessary to get out of here."

"No. He wants to separate us." Emma is pacing back and forth trying to figure out what to do.

"That may be. But look around dearie, we're in hell. And there is no getting out unless we comply." Rumple looks at Regina knowing that she will realize he is right.

Regina sighs deeply, hating when her former teacher has a point, "I hate to say it but if he lets you talk to Hook then maybe the pirate will know a way out of this." Regina looks hopeful when saying this to Emma.

"I think we should agree." States Gold.

"What if he's lying Gold?" Emma voices what they are all thinking. Regina looks to Rumple who raises his eyebrows with a questioning look.

Regina wants to go home. She wants to see Henry again and she wants to return with his other mother unharmed. She is quickly losing her patience but more so afraid of what may happen if they delay their exit from Tartaurus for much longer. Feeling they have no other choice she makes a decision. Regina quickly turns and walks away; leaving their huddle and marches to Hades.

She again, stands before him, "I agree. But only if you take us all to see Hook. Once we see that Emma is safe with him; only then will Rumple and I agree to spend time with you. And then we leave...Emma, Hook, Rumple and myself."

Emma wants to scream at her. 'God damn it! Why did you do that? Why does she always think it's ok to take matters into her own hands?' It's not lost on Emma that Persephone is quickly opening and closing her beak trying to speak in vain. She knows they've taken a deadly wrong step but before Emma can shout her objections...

Hades rejoices, "Agreed! You see Dark One, you are not the only one who can strike a deal."