Dead Reckoning

Chapter Twenty-Five

Inside Regina's mansion…

Zelena had just finished making herself a sandwich when Robin awoke from her nap. As her daughter began to cry, the now powerless witch set the plate down on the table and walked to the crib, then leaned over her to pick her up. It only took picking Robin up and a few cooing words from her mother to calm her, like it always did. Robin began to laugh as she looked up into Zelena's eyes and Zelena laughed with her. Finally, she laid her daughter down on the couch and quickly changed her, then they began to play.

In the middle of them doing so, Zagreus suddenly appeared before Zelena and before she could even open her mouth to ask the stranger who he was, the God used his powers to lift the red-haired woman into the air within a choke hold until he quickly flung her down against the floor.

She sat up weakly as soon as she could, then saw her assailant looming over her daughter and she shouted angrily, "No! Get the hell away from my baby! Who are you?"

The deity smiled cruelly and then he responded, "I was named Zagreus by my father. I never really cared for the name, but I didn't really care much for him either, nor he for me. I was somewhat of a disappointment because I didn't agree with his transformation of our home to look like this hell of yours, all for you. However, I do care that he was killed… by you. You remember Hades, don't you? Everything my father did was for you and you repaid him by killing him? I can't let this stand!"

"Hades was trying to kill my sister," Zelena cried fearfully as she struggled to make her way back to the couch to protect Robin, who had begun to cry again, however she could. "He had just murdered her lover. Despite our pasts, I cared for Robin Hood too. He didn't deserve to die like that. I loved Hades, but I couldn't let your father destroy everything. Do to me whatever you want, but please… please don't harm my baby."

"Your baby won't survive long without someone to look after her and I plan on destroying this entire town, along with everyone in it," he answered smugly, then magically began to choke the former Wicked Witch again.

All of a sudden, another bout of power forced Zagreus upward against the ceiling, setting Zelena free and she fought to get her breathing back under control while she quickly took Robin into her arms, then turned to see who had just saved her. To her surprise, Mr. Gold now stood between her, her child, and the God as he managed to break free of the Dark One's grasp, then rose back to his feet.

Gold spoke up first saying, "If you succeed in your plans to wipe us all out, there is no need for you to kill Hades' murderer before anyone else. She too will be destroyed when you attempt to turn Storybrooke into Hell on Earth. But for now, this witch is under my protection and you're alone. Get out."

The God sneered, "I never thought I would see the day when the Dark One chose to care about anyone else, but himself. I can't kill you, at least not without your dagger. But if you fight against me for these heroes, then I will do everything within my power to destroy you too. And I'm a God. While we're both immortal, you can be killed easier than I can. You're a bit short on Olympian Crystals. Until next time…"

With that said, Zagreus vanished again within a cloud of red smoke. Then, once he was gone, Rumple turned around as he looked down at the woman crouching on the floor with her daughter in her arms, then reached out his hand to help her stand. She hesitated at first, but when she saw the softness in the man's eyes, she finally accepted.

"Are you and your baby alright?" he asked quietly.

"I think we're both just fine, thanks to you," Zelena replied with disbelief. "Why did you do it? Risk your life to save me? I mean, you might be immortal, but I don't think you've ever stood in front of another immortal for me before."

Gold turned away from her as he responded, "You're one of the few I've yet to make amends to. I'm not even close to being the Savior I was meant to be before my mother severed me from my fate, but I'm no longer the villain I was before she arrived here and tried to kill us all like this deity. We haven't gotten along in the past. But if you're willing, I hope to one day put the trouble between us, behind us."

During the missing year…

Zelena opened the door to her storm cellar and walked inside as she found Mr. Gold was spinning on his spinning wheel within his cage, then when she tuned on the light so she could see him better, she sardonically asked, "Enjoying your little toy?"

"The spinning cleans the mind, soothes the soul," the Dark One uttered madly as he seemed to ignore the Wicked Witch, spinning even faster than before. "It cleans the mind, it soothes the soul. Cleans the mind, soothes the soul."

"You look as awful as you sound," she sneered with a laugh, then Gold stopped.

As he did so, the witch approached his cell and questioned, "What? You're not enjoying your cage, hmm? Not appreciating your jailer? Oh, no. You look like you want to hurt me. Go on, then. Give it a go."

Zelena then giggled while she opened the cage's padlock and continued, "I'd love to see you try, especially when we both know that you can't, not when I have this."

"You're a slave to it," she added when she quickly raised the Dark One dagger to keep him from attacking her. "And to me. Frustration can be so intoxicating… On others. The only one that can do the hurting here is me."

After Zelena's defeat…

"Regina," the powerless witch stated from within her jail cell without turning around while she faced the wall after being locked up by her sister upon being stripped of her magic. "I didn't expect you back so soon."

However, it was the Dark One who spoke instead of Regina like she expected as Gold answered, "I don't imagine you expected me at all, dearie."

The Wicked Witch spun around and glared at him, then scoffed as she asked, "What are you doing here?"

"What do you think?" he replied coldly.

"You can't kill me, Rumple," she retorted nervously while she remained sitting on the cot. "I saw Regina take your dagger."

He responded, "She gave it to Belle."

Zelena sneered, "And she wants me dead."

"No, of course not," Gold continued smugly.

"Well, then, you'll have to do what she wishes," she answered snidely. "If she has the dagger, you have no choice."

The Dark One then pulled up his dagger he kept hidden behind his back while they spoke as Zelena immediately stood up against the furthest wall behind him and replied, "Yes. If she has the dagger. But she doesn't. She only thinks she does. You see, um… My father taught me something… the only useful thing he passed on… a bit of sleight of hand called 'follow the lady.' Belle has a fake. This, however, is quite real."

All of a sudden, Gold transported himself inside the cell with the woman who had murdered her son as she fearfully pleaded, "Wait. Wait! I'm powerless now. R… Regina's got my pendant. My magic's gone. I can't hurt anyone! I can't. Why?"

"Because I promised my son his death would be avenged," he responded cruelly, then swiftly thrust his dagger into Zelena's stomach to kill her last while she gasped in pain and turned into glass until she finally shattered into pieces at the Dark One's feet as he removed the blade from her body. "And Rumplestiltskin never breaks a deal."

Back in the present…

"I'm sorry about your son," Zelena finally answered after taking a few moments to reflect on their pasts. "I would like to put our pasts behind us very much. Thank you, Rumple."

Gold looked down at the baby in her arms while he replied, "Thank me after I make sure you and your daughter are protected from Hades' son."

She smiled and then said quietly, "I just hope that it's possible. Robin already lost her father. I can't let her lose her mother too. I'll do whatever you feel is necessary. I trust you."