Chapter 13
Scarlett and her father are to sneak down into the deepest part of the Underworld to retrieve the dead pirate. Simple. Yet hard to execute. But, two livings cannot get down their by themselves.
" Her?", Milah asks her ex husband.
" Yes, her. Come, let me introduce you", Gold says, " Sweetheart, there's someone I'd like you to meet. This is Milah, my ex-wife. And Hook's ex, also. She's also Baelfire's mother, of course. Scarlett only knew him as Neal, her half brother".
" She's your... daughter?", Milah asks.
" So... you've been with my father... and my husband?", Scarlett asks.
" Husband? You're married?", Milah asks.
" And expecting", Scarlett adds.
" Rumple... you let your own daughter be with him?".
" Believe me, I didn't like it", Gold asks.
" They've only tried to kill each other dozens of times", Scarlett says as she crosses her arms.
" I'm sure we're going to laugh ourselves sick about this one day. I suggest you follow me before this gets even more awkward", He says.
The two women comply, and follow the Dark One. Oddly, to Emma Swan's house.
" Why am I not surprised that the gates of hell are in Emma Swan's house", Scarlett mumbles, " Oh, and before I forget, my in-law slash step-niece had a love affair with Baelfire, and gave birth to my younger brother slash nephew slash grandnephew".
" I don't think I've ever heard a more complicated sentence in my life", Milah says as they walk into the house.
" Our family tree is extremely messed up", Scarlett says.
Gold motions for them to hold hands, only so that he can extend Milah's aura over all of them. They walk down the basement steps, to the quite literal gates of hell.
" Thank you, Milah. You can run back to protecting the dead children", Gold says as the barrier spell is no longer present.
Faintly, in the distance, Scarlett can hear running water, and her ears almost perk up.
" The River of Lost Souls", She says.
" We can take it to where Hades has Killian", Milah says.
" I'm sorry, uh, we can take it?", Gold asks, " If you think you can get the pirate back, I doubt he's going to swap the mother of his unborn children for the dead woman".
" You might be dark, but sometimes you're still an idiot, Rumple", She says, " I have my reasons. Let me come with you".
And Scarlett complies.
" Your mother is not going to be happy about this", Gold comments.
" Who is...", Milah starts.
" The Evil Queen", Scarlett responds.
Milah gives her the most confused of looks a dead person possibly could. Scarlett looks over to her father so he could explain, but he doesn't.
"{sighs} A long time ago when Regina Mills was headover heels in love with Daniel, she wanted a child but they couldn't have one together. She made a deal with the Dark One that she would have said child, but it would have the darkest soul in all of the realms. Fast forward, Daniel dies, she becomes the Evil Queen, and I have the weirdest childhood you could possibly imagine. The end", Scarlett says, then uses her magic to make a boat appear on the river, " Now let's get on with it".
The three float down the river, the chilling sound of the lost souls never leaving their ears. As the enchanted boat docks itself, Scarlett is quick to step off. Milah is tempted to go with her, to see her former lover for the first time in centuries, but she stays on the boat. To make sure that Gold doesn't do anything. Even though it's his daughter, Milah won't take any chances.
And so, Scarlett sets on her journey by foot. Alone. She cannot use her magic, for Hades would take notice. She knows all too well what happens when you mess with the God.
When Scarlett's eyes land on her husband, bound by chain and hanging over to his death, she feels her heart break. With her slightly rounder belly, she makes her way towards him.
" You're taking the phrase falling in love too literally", Scarlett says while she balances across the narrow beam.
Killian inches closer to the water, and Scarlett quickens her pace. Being so close to saving him, Scarlett will be damned if she gives up now.
Right before he's dropped into the water, Scarlett dives for him. She wraps her arms around his body, releases the hook and chains from him, and sets him down, safe from the treacherous waters.
Scarlett takes in the moment, takes in the feeling of having her husband in her arms once more. Tears freely flow down her cheeks, knowing that she's one step closer to going back home.
" I'll travel the seven seas for you...", Killian says, barely able to catch his breath.
" Just to show my love for you", Scarlett says with a smile.
She looks down into her husband's one good eye, cups his face in her hands, and brings her lips down to his. They both savor the moment of being with each other. Killian brings his hand up to cup the back of her neck and their lips lock in love. When the pull back, the rest their foreheads on each others.
" The babies?".
" Are fine".
Killian places his hand on her stomach and smiles. Scarlett uses all of her strength to help up her husband. They quickly make their way through the tunnel and back to the dock. But, Milah is not there.
" What happened to--", Scarlett starts.
" I tried to stop him, he blew my magic right back at me. Milah... I couldn't stop it. She's gone", Gold cries as he holds his hand.
" Milah was here?", Killian asks.
It pains Scarlett knowing that he once loved Milah, but she's not one to talk.
" She helped us get to you", Scarlett says.
" Hades has much to answer for", Killian says.
" Indeed he does".
----
Back at Emma's home, since for some reason theirs doesn't exist in the Underworld, Scarlett and Killian and greeted by everyone else.
" How'd you do it?", Grant asks as he wraps an arm around Emma.
" You have my father to thank", Scarlett says, " There was a boat to get us back home... but it's gone".
" What happened?", Snow asks.
" Hades attacked. We lost the boat and... we lost a friend", Killian says, " I hear you took away my sacrifice. Everything I did to save my friends all went to giving you back your power. I should kill you".
" Acknowledged", Gold replies.
" But... you helped me out of there, so I should say--".
" Thank you. No need".
" Stay of execution. We're even... for now".
" I just wanted my daughter to be happy. And yes, you're welcome, Captain".
" Well, we're sorry you lost her", Robin adds.
" She made me who I am", Gold says.
" Okay, we don't have a way out, but we didn't have one before anyway. My magic's working now. So let's do this heart split. That way, when we find an exit, we can get through it", Regina says.
" Heart split?", Killian asks.
" It's a good plan. It'll work", Scarlett says.
" The babies--".
" Will be fine. Trust me".
Scarlett steps in front of her mother. Regina is reluctant, but she does what her daughter asks. She tries to plunge her hand into her daughter's chest, but a barrier stops her. Due to an inkling, Scarlett transports everyone to the grave yard. And low and behold, she was right.
" Hades told me to pick four names and chisel them onto the headstones. He said whoever I picked would remain in the Underworld. I refused", Killian says.
" Well, it looks like he did the picking himself", Regina says.
"What does this mean?", Emma asks.
" It means we're stuck here, and now we can't use her heart to save Hook", Regina responds.
The four names on the four tombstones being this: Regina Mills, Snow White, Emma Swan, Scarlett Jones.
" Well, I got the pirate out in a day, but you lots managed to find a whole new way to fail", Gold adds.
As they all head back to the house, Gold makes his way lower down. To Hades' lair. Little does everyone know, Hades meet with Gold before Milah disappeared. They struck a deal. To sink the boat that would let everyone else out. Simple. But what comes next is anything but.
" Oh, there you are", Hades says.
" I destroyed the boat. Scarlett was never supposed to be a part of this. Now, undo what you did and send us home", Gold says.
" Thank you so much for that. It means so much to be that you took care of it. It shows passion. Was it terrible to do? I think you liked it", Hades says.
" Stop fishing. I won't tell you that I liked it, because I didn't. Not in anyway that matters. And I'll never do anything like that again", Gold says.
" Wow, you really mean that. I-I'm blown away. Well, I suppose you're ready to go home now", Hades says.
" I am", Gold says.
" Good. Glad to hear it. Except, things have changed".
" No, no. A gentleman always keeps his deals. You have to keep--".
" Hey, hey. I didn't say I wasn't keeping my deal. Sure, I'll send you home, just not today. Why, you ask? Because you tried to hide something from me".
Hades makes the crystal ball that Gold was using earlier in the shop appear in his hands.
" Let's take a look at your Belle", He says as the ball works its magic, " So pretty. I mean, I've been watching her for hours, and she is simply darling. You put this crystal ball together so well. Using the eyeball-- inspired. And then, butterfingers, you dropped it. Insane, after all that work. And I couldn't figure out why an image of your wife would affect you so strongly. So I did a little digging and a little thinking, and I realized you weren't trying to conjure an image of her, were you? You were trying to figure out where your son went. You asked the crystal ball to show you your son, didn't you? So...".
" No, no".
" This is an image of your son... your next child. Belle doesn't know it yet, but she's pregnant. Just like your little Scarlett... your second child. And guess what?".
And then, Hades makes the witch-doctor appear. The one Gold struck a deal with to save Baelfire.
" Remember him?", Hades asks, " You two had a contract. You tried to void it by killing him during a certain potentially baby-making liasion with your protege the Evil Queen's mother, Cora. Ironic how she later gave birth to your child. Which seemed smart at the time, but it turns out that death doesn't actually nullify a contract. Not down here. Because here he is and, here;s the contract... which he signed over... to me. With, a little modification, of course. So, just to be super extra clear, at any time, I can cash in the debt... and take your child. Which one is up to you. You can either stick to the original contract, and I can take Scarlett-- your second child. Or... I can take yours... and Scarlett's... un... born... children. All magic comes with a price... and now, Dark One, the price is... you work for me. And there's something I need you to do... that only you can do".
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