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CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
FIREBIRD, PT. 1
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TERESA WOKE UP THE NEXT MORNING FROM BABY NEAL'S CRIES. A yawn escaped her lips as she heard Snow get up to comfort her crying baby. Teresa stretched her limbs before tossing the blanket from her body and rising to her feet from the couch.

She made her way over to the refrigerator as she continued to yawn, the exhaustion from not wanting to fall asleep in Hell and from all the traveling weighing heavy on the teenagers shoulders.

"Morning," Snow chirped, a smile on her face as she practically skipped into the kitchen with her son.

"Morning."

"Mind hold Neal so I can prepare a bottle?" Snow asked.

Teresa smiled as she stretched her arms out for the baby. "Not at all." After gathering Neal from his mothers arms, Teresa held up her hand, allowing him to grip her fingers with his tiny ones.

"So, I was thinking maybe we should have breakfast at Granny's and let her know about Ruby," Snow said as she prepared a bottle of formula.

Teresa smiled at the mention of Ruby, who she still couldn't believe finally got her well-deserved happy ending. "Sure. I can feed Neal if you want, since I sort of slept in my clothes last night and you aren't dressed."

"Actually," Snow sighed, staring longingly at her son. "I'd really like to."

Teresa smiled and walked toward the raven haired mother, placing her son in her arms. "Take your time, Snow, you deserve every moment with him."

➳

THE UNDERWORLD

Henry was missing her terribly. He remained silent as he leaned against one of the wooden pillars in the apartment, near his grandfather.

"Zelena is in love?" Emma asked in shock, after learning from Regina about Zelena's past relations with Hades.

"And not thinking rationally, which for her is a big problem."

"We have to stop her," Hook said. "And if you can't because she's your blood, then allow me to."

"What? Kill her?"

"Well, it's a step in the right direction. Well, taking action against Zelena in any form will get messy," Regina said.

"Okay, so we find a way to keep them apart without killing anyone."

"I'm waiting for the better option," Hook muttered.

"So, what's the plan?" Emma asked with a shrug of her shoulders, as she stared at Regina.

"Well, there's only one person we can trust to destroy the love blooming between Hades and my sister. Our mother."

➳

STORYBROOKE

The bell above the diner door chimed as soon as Teresa opened the door for Snow to walk in with Baby Neal. They were greeted with a bright smile from Granny, who was standing behind the counter and serving coffee.

The pair walked over to the counter and sat on a stool, placing Baby Neal, who was in his carrying seat, on the counter. "Morning."

Granny returned their morning greeting with one of her own before requesting their breakfast orders. "Two orders or pancakes and cocoas."

Teresa smiled at the mention of drinking cocoa, but then it dropped as she thought of Henry and if he was okay. She wondered what they were doing in the Underworld at this very moment; if for them it as morning just as it is in the real Storybrooke, if time was different there.

Granny gave them a nod before handing the order over to her chief and preparing two mugs. As Granny began to collect the ingredients for Henry Mills favorite beverage, Snow spoke. "We didn't get a chance to speak much last night after we returned."

"No, you didn't," Granny agreed, placing her hands on her hips. "What happened in Hell?"

"A lot of stuff went down that is just honestly too long to explain," Teresa said while leaning her chin on her palm.

"We ran into Ruby as well."

Granny's entire world froze and her eyes widened. "What...? Ruby's...Ruby's..."

Teresa eyes widened. "No, God no! Way to go, Snow. She's not dead, far from it actually."

Granny let out a loud breath of relief, placing her hand over her heart as she did. "Well why didn't you start with that? Do you want an old woman to have a heart attack?"

"She met her true love," Teresa revealed.

A wide grin spread across Granny's face. "Well it's about damn time. Ruby deserves all the happiness she can get her hands on."

"I couldn't agree more."

"Well, you can't just announce that my Ruby met someone and not tell me abou them, spill," Granny ordered as she placed their steaming cups of cocoa in front of them.

"Her name is Dorothy Gale."

"Wait." Granny's eyebrows knitted together at the recognizable name. "You don't mean, the Dorothy Gale, do you? Like from Oz? Ruby slippers, dog, blue dress — that Dorothy?"

Snow nodded. "Yea, that Dorothy," Snow nodded,a soft smile forming on her lips. "Ruby woke her up from a sleeping curse with true loves kiss."

"It was the happiest I've ever seen her," Teresa said, which caused tears to burst in Granny's eyes.

➳

THE UNDERWORLD

Much time later, when the sky was yet again dark with the time of night, Henry now stood at the clock tower with his family. According to his adoptive mother, his Aunt Zelena and her were now reunited sisters, their mother, Cora Mills, having passed peacefully into Heaven early in the day.

Henry was relieved to hear that his mother and aunt had resolved their issues and were family, though his birth mother didn't seem to like the idea of Regina having sent Zelena to face Hades on her own, even if she was now trustworthy.

"You told her what?"

"To give him a chance," Regina said, defending both herself and her sister.

"And you thought that was a good idea because?"

Regina tore her eyes away from Emma to look at David. "Because we're family. And I'm trying to trust Zelena. She thinks she can change Hades."

"I'm sorry, love, I missed the part where Zelena changed."

"You'd think the ex-pirate with a rum habit would cut my sister some slack," Regina sarcastically responded.

"Well, you'd think that the Evil Queen would be smarter than to send the Wicked Witch to romance the most devious man alive!"

Emma stepped between them before a fight could break out. "Easy, guys. We're not gonna win the war against Hades if we use all our ammo on each other."

"The Savior has a point," a new voice said. They turned, and their eyes widened at the sight of Hades himself. The Hell ruler was strolling up to them as if he never did anything wrong.

Hook glared at him with rage. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Emma pushed her son behind her for hisprotection, muttering, "Get behind me, kid."

Hades flashed them an offended look as he rolled his eyes. "Oh, I didn't find you to hurt you. I came for your..." He sighed. "Wow, this is hard. Help."

Henry never thought they would be in this moment; where the ruler of Hell was asking them for help.

"What could you possibly want our help with?" David questioned.

"Simple. I went to meet Zelena for our date and found this." Hades held up a piece of parchment, which Regina then stepped forward to take.

"No..." With a frustrated sigh, the former Evil Queen thrust the parchment into Emma's hands, who then lifted it and began to read what it said.

"Zelena, she's been kidnapped by Gold and Pan."

"They're asking for a meeting tomorrow morning."

"Gold wants you to tear up the contract for his unborn child."

"So, do it. I just got my sister back. I'm not going to lose her now."

"Neither will I," Hades said. "I'll give them what they want, but I know the Stiltskins and their tricks. They're not gonna keep their word. Not unless I have an ace up my sleeve."

"Luckily for you, you got one," Regina said.

"I'm sorry." Hades scoffed as he stepped toward the Evil Queen. "You've been Zelena's doting sister for all of what, three hours? No."

"Who's going to be more motivated than me?"

"Emma," Hades smirked.

"What? Why?"

"If Zelena gets out of this alive, I'm prepared to offer you a deal."

"Don't trust a word he says, Emma," Hook said, his tone pleading with the love of his life to not fall for his tricks.

Regina glanced over at him with a nod of agreement. "Now I agree with the pirate."

"You and I both know your family wouldn't be here if it weren't for you. If you help me save her, I'll take everyone's names off their headstones."

Henry's eyes widened, and right then and there, he knew his mother was going to accept the deal.

"So we can leave the Underworld..."

"So, what do you say, Savior? Do you want to send your family home or not?"

After a few moments, Emma nodded. "Fine, but I need something first, something that will let us know that we can trust your word."

Hades sighed, before snapping his fingers. In the blind of an eye, Alice appeared before them, and she tumbled onto her knees from obvious exhaustion.

"Alice!" Regina exclaimed. She rushed forward, taking the blondes forearms. "Are you alright?"

Alice leaned on Regina for support, her body weak from the punishment Hades had given her. "I-I'm okay."

"I believe that proves that I am willing to you, if you help me," Hades said, his eyes set on Emma, who nodded.

"Let's go."

➳

After Emma had been successful in assisting Hades in the rescue of Zelena, they made their toward the cemetery, where the fallen clock-tower that was once in the middle of Main Street was now resting. The hands on the clock were continuously ticking.

"How'd it get here?" David asked.

"The hands are moving," Henry stated the obvious. "Is that a good sign or a bad one?"

"It's a great one if you want to leave," Hades muttered as he moved from Zelena's side and toward the fast-ticking clock. "When those hands spin fast enough in about an hour, it'll turn into an open portal back."

"Which we can't go through because of those," Regina said, indicating eith her hand toward to the grave markers with their names still on them. "So, let's get on with it."

"Gladly." With a wave of his hand, Hades used his magic to remove their names. "There. As promised. You're no longer tied to this realm."

Zelena grinned. "I told you love could change him."

Hook shook his head, his suspious stare now resting on Hades. "I don't buy it. A man can't change that quickly."

Emma walked up in front of Hook, turning his gaze from Hades and to her. "We're free to go through the portal when it opens, which means it's time to split my heart so you can leave with us."

Hook smiled. "Aye, love."

Emma let out a breath before turning to face Regina. "Do it."

Regina stepped away from her son and toward Emma. Without a warning, she thrust her hand into Emma's chest, ripping out her heart. Emma let out a groan of pain as Regina split her heart in two. She placed half in the palm of Emma's outstretched hand.

Emma turned toward her pirate, and thrust her heart into his chest, but wouldn't work. Instead, she collapsed to the ground in pain.

Henry and David both cried out in horror as they watched Emma suffer.

"Emma!"

"Mom!"

Regina jumped into action, snatching back her other half of her heart, before putting it back together and placing it back in her chest once more.

"Why didn't it work?"

Hook look at Hades in anger as he held onto Emma. "I told you we couldn't trust him."

"That wasn't me. I'm afraid there are laws of nature beyond even my control."

David's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "No, it should work. I died. My wife's heart brought me back."

"How long were you dead?"

"A minute or so, maybe less," Regina answered.

"Ah..." Hades nodded. "I didn't think I recalled you entering this realm. Your soul never left your body. That's why it worked for you."

"So Hook's been down here too long?" Henry asked.

Unfortunately, Hades nodded. "And his body's rotting away up there. Even if your soul could return to it, I doubt either of you could stomach the smell."

All of the hope Hook had of starting a life with Emma washed away as he looked at her in sadness. "Well, Emma, it appears you have to return without me."

Emma shook her head, refusing to believe she would be losing him. "There has to be another way."

"Emma, please."

Emma looked at him with desperate eyes. "You're telling me no one's gone to the Underworld and brought someone back?" After a long moment of silence from Hades, Emma realized that it had happened before. "They have. Who? Who did? How?"

"It was a long time ago, and it was a rumor. There's no proof it actually worked."

"Tell me everything."

➳

In Hades private chambers, Hades stood reading a book of the only people who ever escaped his realm.

"Orpheus and Eurydice," he said, stretching the book out for them to read.

Henry was the one to take it, and the teenaged revealed that he knew of the tale. "I know this myth. She died, and he followed her to the Underworld to get her back."

"These are the only two souls who ever escaped my realm."

"How?" David asked. "I thought you said that broke the laws of nature."

"Orpheus helped Eurydice escape by feeding her ambrosia, the food of the gods."

"And where exactly do you get some of that? 'Cause I don't recall seeing it on the menu at the Blind Witch's."

With a wave of his hand, Hades teleported them into the library, before the elevator, only now it had no wall blocking it.

"An elevator?" Emma said in confusion. "I'm the Savior. I've got magic."

"And I'm the Lord of the Underworld. That should tell you something," Hades said with a sarcastic look toward the blonde. "The ambrosia, it's powerful, and like a petty spoiled child, it wants all the power for itself. Everything else is shut down below. There's no hopping in and out in a puff of smoke. This is the only way, and once you're down there, you're on your own."

Emma stepped toward. "And then what? We're knee deep in a field of ambrosia? Can't be that easy."

"I'm not really sure," Hades confessed. "Even I've never ventured that far down."

Hook gave a sarcastic grin. "So we're going to the one place in hell where even the devil is afraid to go."

Zelena threw a glare toward the pirate. "Not hell and not the devil."

"And not because I'm afraid," Hades added. "There's a test to ensure that only those who are worthy of eating ambrosia can reach it, and it will require offering up your heart for judgment."

"Without magic, how am I gonna take out my own — "

Hades cut Emma off by reaching into her chest and ripping out her heart, causing her to gasp and everyone to take a concerned step toward Emma. "You're not." He then placed her heart in a bag and held it out her. "My gift to you. Take good care of it."

"Let's have this be the last time we do this today, okay?"

"Just trying to help."

"So, failing this test has, what, fatal consequences?" Emma asked.

Hades nodded in response. "One would think."

Hook gently turned Emma so she is facing him. "You don't have to do this, Swan."

"And you didn't have to sacrifice your life to save all of us from the Dark Ones. We're going."

David stepped forward and placed a gentle hand on his daughters arm. "We'll be right here waiting for you."

"Regina — "

"I know the drill. If you're not back by sunset — "

"Everybody leaves, promise me."

"You'll be back," Regina said. She knew the savior always came back.

Henry stepped forward and wrapped his arms around his birth mother. "I love you, Mom."

Emma let out a sigh as she held him tight. "I love you, too, kid."