Hook… I Will Always Find You

Chapter Thirteen

Emma and the rest of those who came with her walked inside Granny's Diner once again where they could get themselves something to eat while they discussed what to do next. When they entered, the heroes were immediately taken aback when they found Cruella sitting within one of the booths, as she smiled at them smugly and raised her glass to them before anyone could say anything. The Savior instinctively took a few steps back knowing that the villainess who hated dogs held a grudge against her for killing her, but Regina walked over to join her and took a seat across from Cruella, followed closely by Robin while the others sat down at the table beside them.

Regina smiled at her as she said coldly, "We saw you drive by in your roadster when we first arrived here. Of course you would wind up in a hellish place like this. Although, I'm a bit surprised you haven't moved on yet to the worse place. What kind of unfinished business could you possibly have?"

Cruella smiled back at the Queen, then glanced towards Emma while she arrogantly replied, "Oh… there might be the fact that I was murdered by the very woman who claims herself to be some Savior. It might be because should I attempt to move on, I would wind up in the worse place and I really, really don't want that. And then there's the fact that things here really aren't all that bad so long as I remain on Hades' good side. Being the sheriff's girlfriend isn't too bad either."

"You and your brother really are identical, aren't you, darling?" she then added when she turned her head to look at David. "At least in looks anyway. Though… I don't find do-gooders like you attractive in the least."

"You really know James?" David asked her worryingly.

The villainess smiled again as she answered, "Indeed I do, darling. And far more than just by name, if you know what I mean."

Emma finally cut in as she responded, "Everyone here knows what you mean, but we don't have time for this. Surely you know most of what's going on down here. You must know where Hades would hold the souls he collects for his own pleasure of torturing."

"Much like your doe eyed pirate, I'd wager?" Cruella replied haughtily, then snickered as she took a sip of the alcohol in her glass she held up to her lips. "I've heard rumors that Captain Hook finally gave up the ghost in a manner of speaking. I've also heard the rumors he's found himself down here as well, and that Hades has been giving him special attention. But if you think I'm going to help you find him after you yourself put me here too… you can forget it, Savior. I wouldn't help you even if I could."

"She might not be willing to help you, but I just might," another voice the heroes recognized all too well stated smugly from the door when another villain they faced off against and sent down into the Underworld entered the diner using magic to appear before them.

Regina rose from her seat and stepped out from the booth to face the boy while she uttered darkly, "Pan. After what you did to us… you're lucky you're already dead."

The demon from Neverland smiled cruelly as he answered, "That's hardly the way to talk to someone who can help you find one of my oldest enemies, Your Majesty."

"Please… we all know you wouldn't help us find Hook without some ridiculous price attached," the Queen retorted curtly, as Robin stood up with her, as did Emma, David, Tinker Bell, and Smee.

"Of course not," Peter responded, then glanced smugly between the Green Fairy and Hook's first mate until he finally turned his attention to Emma. "There will definitely be a price attached. At least my son was clever enough to con anyone he ever dealt with into giving him something for the use of his magic. But the question is, Emma… will you be willing to give me what I want in exchange for information that will lead you to finding the man you love? I can't believe Hook actually managed to win your heart after all. What is it about a one handed pirate who has a drinking problem do you find so appealing, that you would risk your life and the lives of your friends here for?"

Emma angrily replied, "Enough! Just tell us what you want and depending on what kind of information you have, I might consider a deal. But only if it leads us to finding Hook."

Pan walked over and took a seat beside Cruella while the Savior remained standing, then he finally answered, "My information won't actually lead you to Hook himself, but to someone who can help you far better than either Cruella or I can. Neither of us have been privileged to know of Hades' plans. Very few people are. This person won't know where Hook is either. In fact, he doesn't even know Hook's died and has become trapped here in the Underworld being tortured by Hades yet. He won't be quick to believe you that he has. He doesn't trust easily. He never has. Not even his own brother."

"You mean… Hook's brother?" Emma questioned with surprise in her voice. "Liam Jones is here?"

"Of course he is," the boy responded with frustration. "He's down here because he didn't trust Killian enough to believe him or me that the dreamshade he cut himself with to prove a point was indeed poison just as I told the brothers it was. And because Killian didn't heed my warning not to leave Neverland when I told him doing so would only lead to consequences. I bet those are good enough reasons for the older Jones to have unfinished business. I do wonder if Killian actually told his brother of my warning, or if he just didn't care because he was in too much of a hurry to leave the island."

He then turned to David and added smugly, "But he did warn you. Didn't he, Dave? You were lucky Neal was there to convince Rumple to give you the cure to the cure. Killian and Liam weren't so fortunate."

The Prince looked at the villain coldly as he asked, "Is Liam up here somewhere in this town? Or is he a prisoner of Hades too?"

"If you want to know that and where to find him, then I need you to help get me out of this world too," Peter Pan replied darkly when he turned back to Emma again. "I know none of you would be willing to split your hearts with me, but there are other ways to revive the dead which don't require one. Bring me with you back to Storybrooke when you leave here with Hook in tow, or you can forget my help."

"Your help's already forgotten because we won't do anything to help you leave here," the Savior answered steadfastly when she turned away from him, while the others with her stood to follow her, until Pan reached out to grab her arm as he stood up again as well.

The boy glared at her while he retorted, "If you seek him out on your own, I promise you that you'll regret it. You know what happened to the Jones brothers when they failed to listen to me. And you're going to find out for yourselves too if you don't either."

Regina helped Emma get out from Pan's grip, then responded, "We can deal with whatever you attempt to throw at us. We defeated you before. You may still have your magic down here, but so do we and we'll defeat you again."

"If you want to find Liam Jones, heroes… look for him at the Rabbit Hole down the street," the Blind Witch suddenly called out to them from behind the bar, as everyone turned back to her with surprise.

"And why should we trust you?" Robin suspiciously asked her. "You're a villain who hates us just like Pan and Cruella do."

The witch turned her head in the archer's direction while she replied, "You shouldn't trust me. But whether you do or you don't, it's true nonetheless. He is there. I don't know him on much of a personal level, but I know him well enough because I've gone to him looking to replenish my supply of alcohol countless times. The Rabbit Hole has a never ending supply because so many people try to drink their troubles away. He's my competition you see. But yet we still help each other out anyways because we have an understanding between us. Go and see for yourselves. But when you come back, Regina… don't forget the apples you promised me."

The heroes finally left without another word and once they were gone, both Pan and Cruella walked over to the bar towards the blind woman while the boy curtly asked, "Why did you help them just now?"

"Would you believe I helped them because I was curious what it was you have planned for them once they find the older Jones?" she questioned with a grin on her face.

"Maybe, but you and I both know there was more deception in that little speech you gave to them than meets the eye," Cruella answered and then raised her glass to the witch for a refill of any kind of alcohol she had on hand other than the gin she craved so much as a part of her own personal Hell Hades conjured up for her.

The Blind Witch poured her a glass of brandy and then responded, "Of course I deceived them. In more ways than one. I've never spoken to Hook's brother. But I also told them where to find him because Hades asked me to. It's a trap… for the Savior."

Cruella raised her glass again, this time in a toast to the witch as she uttered, "Cheers to you, darling. Nicely done."