Chapter 5

They followed the glow of the ring for several hours through rocky terrain, the cave narrowing and expanding periodically. At times it got so narrow, Snow was sure she would get herself so wedged that she would get stuck and stay there to rot. As the time dragged on and their journey continued further into the belly of the underworld, Snow was seriously starting to doubt her decision-making as of late. Snow's heart was nearly ripped from her chest watching her daughter mourn over the body of her dead boyfriend. In the moments that followed she would have done anything to take that pain away. So when Emma came up with this half cocked plan to bring Hook back from the dead, well, Snow had no choice but to go along with it. But now as Snow was left with nothing but the vision of her family withering in the literal fires of hell and her own thoughts, a sense of regret and disdain wormed into her brain.

Had she just seriously agreed to take her entire family into the pits of hell for a pirate? I mean, sure Emma loved him, but he was a pirate after all. Did he really and truly deserve them all, including her grandson, risking their very souls to bring him back to the land of the living? Snow wasn't so sure. Of course she wanted her daughter to be happy, and of course she hated seeing her lose the man she loved...but was Hook Emma's True Love? She knew people were capable of having many loves in a lifetime, but certainly we all only have One True Love. Was Hook Emma's? As she wove in and around fiery boulders and wiped the sweat off her brow, Snow thought back to their budding romance over the last few years and really tried to see it. She tried to picture Emma and Hook living happily ever after. Snow came to a shuddered halt when she suddenly felt nauseous. A hand went up to her belly before she continued on, realizing that no, she most definitely did not see Emma and Hook together. It wasn't that there was anything truly wrong with Emma being with Killian, except for the fact he had so badly hurt Emma while he had been the dark one. She knew the things he had said to Emma, and although he was powered by the darkness, Snow knew there was a hint of truth to the things he said. Where Emma had tried to save both Hook and her family while consumed with the darkness, Killian had succumbed and tossed her aside like trash. He was hellbent on vengeance for a woman other than his current girlfriend, and in turn threatened to kill them all, including Emma's son. Emma used to be such a strong, powerful woman, and since Hook, it seemed Emma's life had suddenly ceased to be her own. And not in a soul-mate kind of way. In a suppressed, damsel in distress, side kick kind of way. Her daughter was NOT a side kick. Snow furrowed her eyebrows as these thoughts flooded her brain.

Snow barely registered that the group had come to a large opening in the cave, and had decided to take a breather there for a while. Snow stood stone still as the group dropped their gear and leaned onto rocky walls around her, her eyes suddenly settling on Regina. It wasn't too long ago that Regina had been just as hellbent on vengeance as Dark Hook was. Regina pulled out all the stops to have Snow killed, and eventually Emma. Regina had done unspeakable things in the name of revenge, including tearing her daughter away from her. Snow watched as Regina smoothed the hair on top of Henry's head and pulled him into a tight embrace. This was not the same woman that committed all those crimes. This woman had worked hard to redeem herself, and in truth had saved both Snow and her loved ones on countless occasions. Snow wasn't sure she could ever truly be over the things the Evil Queen had done to her, but looking at Regina now, joining her family in this ill-fated quest to save a pirate, she knew Regina deserved for her to at least try to move on. But wait, Snow paused. Why HAD Regina agreed to come to the underworld? There was certainly no love lost between her and Hook. She finally had her happy ending with Robin, why would she risk everything to save a pirate she despised? As Snow watched Emma walk over and gently place a hand on Regina's shoulder as she also ran a hand down Henry's arm, Snow remembered.

"I care about YOU." Regina had said. She cared about Emma. Snow watched the interaction between the strange, makeshift family with sudden interest. And then, she saw the most unexpected thing. In their little family moment, one that under most circumstances would have seemed totally natural, Snow saw something more. As Robin was somewhere unseen, and Hook God knows where being tortured, in this smouldering corner of the Underworld, Snow saw something that should have been impossible. Emma looked over at Regina, with a gaze that was cleverly hidden. Emma hid it behind compassion and encouragement and camaraderie. But Snow knew that look very well. Was it possible? And as Emma let her hand slowly slide off Regina's shoulder and walk away, Snow's eyes trained on Regina. Snow's jaw nearly dropped. In those dark chocolate eyes of the former queen, Snow saw the answer to everything. She saw the key to Regina's happiness. She saw that this journey was a mistake. Hook wasn't Emma's True Love. Snow had no idea what kind of future did or did not await Hook and Robin, but she knew beyond a doubt, the missing puzzle piece to her family's happy ending was Regina Mills. As impossible as it was, the Evil Queen, the very soul who set this whole marred and broken story line into motion, was the only thing that could set it right. She was Emma's True Love. And after seeing that look in Regina's eyes, a look she hadn't seen since the night Daniel died, there was no doubt that Emma was Regina's as well.

"Are you alright? Snow?" David gently shook Snow's shoulders, snapping her back from whatever fantasy world she had been in.

Snow gently shook her head and looked up at David. She forced a smile, not quite certain how she was feeling about her sudden revelation. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Lets rest up a bit, shall we?"

Regina had stripped down as much as she could without standing in her underwear, but still felt like her skin was burning off. She was able to conjure up some ice for everyone to cool off a bit with, but whatever magic Hades possessed prevented her from doing too much more. She felt her magic was sapped. She would have to be careful or her magic would be of no help. Robin had taken Henry to the far side of the cave to teach him a few skills with the bow, and so had a few moments to herself. She slid down the side of the cave and sighed out deeply. She was startled as a body heavily plopped down beside her. She rolled her eyes as she looked up to see the smiling succubus. She glanced over to see Emma chatting up the girlfriend and pushed down a strange feeling in her belly. "I'm not in the mood for your games, Succu-bitch."

Bo opened her mouth in feigned shock. "Hey, what did I do? I'm trying to help you guys, you know."

Regina wiped at her pantsuit, fruitlessly trying to get the red dust off. "And what a fine help you've been so far."

Bo knew sarcasm and bitchiness was just Regina's defense mechanism, and so didn't take it personally. "Look, my help will come if and when we come across my dear father, which, by the way, you would certainly not stand a chance against without me." She watched as Regina shook her head gently and look over towards Emma. It was subtle, and would have gone unnoticed by anyone who wasn't looking for it. But Bo was. Bo folded the fingers of both hands into each other as her forearms rested on her knees. "You know, you really need to tell her."

Regina snapped her head toward the nosy woman and looked as confused as she possibly could. "Tell who what?!"

Bo just half smiled as the dark eyes of the queen threatened to set her on fire. "The blonde. Your son's other mother? You need to tell her how you feel."

Regina panicked slightly, but she revealed nothing. Instead she scoffed and relied on her wit. "Oh? I should tell her that this quest was a mistake, and that I never should have agreed to it? That I never should have let my son come down here to save a dirty pirate that doesn't deserve saving, no matter WHAT she thinks she feels for him?" It was a harsh whisper, loud enough to express her anger, but not loud enough that anyone else could hear.

Bo raised her eyebrows, impressed that the queen had admitted to at least that much. "Well, that's a good start. But I'm talking about telling her the reasons you feel that way. And what do you mean, how she thinks she feels about him? You don't think she loves this Killian guy?"

Regina was shifting uncomfortably now, but in all honesty was too tired to get up and walk away. She was too tired to even fireball this busty brunette. She needed to save her magic, anyway. "She very well may love him. That doesn't mean she can save him by splitting her heart. That is an honor reserved for only the truest of love."

"And you don't think they are true loves? I mean, she did come down here, risking her family for him. Sounds pretty serious to me."

"She did it out of guilt," Regina snapped quickly. She realized her urgency and tried to calm herself a bit. "She felt responsible for him dying, so...she jumped at any chance she had to set it right. Now, here we are."

Bo watched the barely hidden emotion across Regina's face. "But you don't think they are true loves?" Bo watched as Regina suddenly realized she was being far more open with a stranger than she was comfortable with, and before the queen could get up and storm off, Bo placed a calming hand on the woman's wrist. It was just enough of a use of her fae power to calm Regina down and make her a bit more willing to talk.

Regina didn't know why, but for some reason she felt comfortable talking to this woman about very personal things. Things she wouldn't talk to anyone about. "No, I don't."

"Why?" Bo asked sincerely.

Regina paused only a moment. "Because he's a villain. Trying to reform, perhaps, but still a villain none the less. Villains don't get happy endings."

Bo was starting to understand. "Just like you? You don't think you deserve a happy ending?"

Regina looked down at her feet in sadness. Why did she want to keep talking? "No. But it doesn't stop me from wishing for one all the same."

Bo thought for a minute before sucking in a deep breath. "Look. I don't know how it was in fantasy land, or wherever you all came from. But here in this world, fairytales are just that. Fairytales. Reality very rarely lives up to the standard they set. But sometimes, just sometimes, things work out they way they're supposed to. Even better than in the storybooks, really. But unlike fairytales, those happy endings aren't just handed out. They're hard earned. Just look at me and Lauren. It was a long road for us to get together, one that most definitely had it's ups and downs. But here we are. Our happy ending was really just the beginning. You can have your happy ending, Regina, but it's up to you to go and get it."

Regina, eyes welled up but yet to spill over, looked up at Bo. As she opened her mouth to speak, about to say something she had barely even admitted to herself, Regina paused. As quickly as her need to reveal her feelings to Bo had come, they faded with a soft sizzle through Regina's veins. She blinked and felt her eyes dilate as the spell of the succubus faded. Those eyes that had just moments ago held hope and love turned dark and menacing. She saw Bo gulp. When the succubus reached for Regina's arm again she snapped it away. "Don't touch me!" Regina scrambled to her feet and looked down at the sheepish girl. "I don't know what you're playing at, but Robin is my happy ending. And Hook is Emma's. You may be happy with your gal pal over there, but that is not the way it works out for me and Miss Swan. We are Henry's mothers, that's it."

Bo rose to her feet as well, more determined than ever to get Regina to come to her senses. They met face to face in angry whispers. "That guy? Arrow boy? Please. You two have about as much chemistry as a wet blanket. What kind of hold does he have over you?"

Regina paused and shifted her weight, placing a hand on her hip. She looked away in embarrassment before looking back at Bo. She saw the tall woman raise her eyebrows expectantly. Regina knew, just like the rest of their story, that this would sound crazy. "F-Fairy dust. Fairy dust told me that...he is my soulmate."

Bo froze. She tried really hard to remain stoic. But slowly that smile pulled on the corners of her lips. She pushed the laugh down as much as she could but all it did was find it's way out her nasal cavity in a most unladylike snort. She flew her hand up to cover her mouth even as the giggles and cackles betrayed her. The giggling quickly ceased when with one snap of her wrist the queen had conjured a fireball in her palm, and Bo had no doubt it was headed her direction shortly. Bo reached up and gently gripped Regina's wrist, and fortunately for her the queen relented. "Okay, okay, look, I'm sorry. No offense okay? It's just-"

"It's not a laughing matter. Magic doesn't lie."

Bo scoffed and shook her head. "Really? Cuz in my experience, magic can lie in all sorts of ways. Well, maybe not lie directly, but certainly cause misdirection and falsehoods." She felt more confident when she saw the queen soften a bit. "Look, I don't know you very well. But you're the freakin Evil Queen. FORMER! But still. Judging by the way you carry yourself, you don't take shit from anyone. You are the ruler. You cast curses and break curses and beat bad guys, and God knows what else. Are you seriously gonna let something as ridiculous as pixie dust decide your fate? Because the Regina I know...she does that herself."

Regina looked pointedly into the dark eyes of the succubus, uncertain of what exactly to say. Their interaction was cut short, however, when the shriek of a shout hit her ears.

"Mom!" Regina's head snapped to where Henry's voice had come from, as everyone else turned as well. Henry was standing there in shock, dropping the bow that had been in his hands. "He's gone!"

Regina and Emma both rushed over to him as the others stared on in confusion. "Robin? What do you mean he's gone?!"

Henry shook his head in confusion and panic. "He was just here, and then he just disappeared!"

Emma rushed forward and put her hand firmly on Henry's shoulder. "What do you mean, he just disappeared?"

Henry threw his hands up. "He was standing there, and some weird blue fire surrounded him, and before I could do anything, he just disappeared!"

"David!" Snow's voice caused everyone to turn, just in time to see David engulfed in a bright blue flame. Before anything could be done, just as Henry described, Prince Charming was gone.

Bo watched helplessly as her name echoed out of Lauren's mouth before she too disappeared in a blue flash. One more woosh and Regina was gone before she could even conjure a fireball. Bo watched the panic and confusion in Emma's eyes just before she started glowing blue. Emma thrust her hand in her pocket and pulled out Milah's ring, still glowing from Regina's spell. She had no sooner tossed it at Bo when she and Snow White both vanished in the blink of an eye. Bo hadn't seen him vanish, but Rumpelstiltskin was gone as well, leaving Bo and Henry alone in the cavern.

Bo stood still, knees bent and arms out, waiting for the blue fire to consume her at any moment. But the moment never came. The two survivors looked sheepishly at each other, trying to figure out what had just happened. Bo forced a smile. "I guess it's just you and me."

Henry tried hard to hide the fear he was feeling. "What just happened? Where did they go?"

Bo sighed out and took a few steps toward Henry. "Hades happened. I have no idea where they are."

"I guess he didn't want to take us, too?" Henry scratched his head.

"Or couldn't. Daughter of Hades. What's your excuse?" Bo looked at him skeptically.

Henry shrugged his shoulders. "Heart of the Truest Believer? The Author? Just a kid? I don't know, take your pick."

Bo cocked her head to the side and pursed her lips together, a bit impressed at the potential apparently hidden inside this kid.

"What do we do now?" Henry was desperately trying to hold on to the tiny shred of calm he still had left. He was lost in the underworld, both his moms were missing, and here he was with a strange woman who had some kind of weird power he didn't quite understand.

Bo looked down at the glowing ring in her hand. "We keep going. Don't worry, kid. We'll get your moms back. We'll get Lauren back. We'll get everyone back and get the hell out of this hell hole," Bo paused and quirked her head, "literally."

Henry shook his head at the bad joke, but appreciated the attempt to lighten the mood. He walked toward the tall woman who put her arm around his shoulders, and together they headed off further into the darkness alone.

***You guys still reading?! Drop me a note. The train wreck that this season has turned into has prompted me to continue with this story. Let me know what you think.