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CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
SOULS OF THE DEPARTED
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"WHAT ARE YOU CRAZY?!" Teresa snapped, her red eyes staring at Emma in shock. "You want to actually go to hell?"

"The underworld," Emma corrected, causing her to roll her eyes.

"That's quite a distinction," David murmured.

"I'm getting him back. This isn't fair to Killian. Gold tricked him. Everything he gave up was based on a lie."

"Emma, you know how this works. It's a one-for-one trade. To get him back, someone else will have to die."

"And you just got back from being the Dark One," Henry said. "You can't give in to darkness again."

Emma's eyes softened as she stared at her son. "I won't. I'm giving in to love. I'm doing this right. I learned my lesson. I'm taking a page out of your book. You two share a heart. So will we."

"It could work," Regina said.

"It will work," Emma insisted.

"Uh, forgive me if I'm missing the obvious, but, um, how does one get to the underworld?"

➳

With her arms crossed over her chest, Teresa leaned toward Henry and whispered, "This is insane."

"I couldn't agree with you more," he whispered back.

"Do it," Emma commanded, her eyes resting on Gold.

Gold sighed before turning and cutting his hand on the Dark One dagger. "Are you sure about this?"

"Do it."

Gold nodded at the blonde before turning to the water and letting his blood mix in. Almost instantly, a thick fog rolled in and the Charon appeared on the boat.

An invisible wall way appeared in water, which Emma didn't hesiate to start walking on.

Teresa heaved a sigh, knowing that this trip was going to be a disater. She walked ahead of Henry and behind Snow, as she follow Emma toward the boat. The entire time, her heart was pounding.

I'm actually going to hell, I'm out of my damn mind...

When she reached the the boat, David turned and held out his hand for her, which she accepted. Teresa down in the back of the boat, furthest away from the dark cloaked Charon. Henry stepped onto the boat, instantly claiming the empty space next to her with a nervous smile. He took her hand, the gesture always causing a wave of calmness to wash over them.

Regina and Robin were the last to step onto the boat, taking the seats in front of Henry and Teresa. Regina gave her son a smile before the boat began to leave Storybrooke and softly slow down the lake into the thick fog.

The entire boat ride, Teresa kept her eyes on the Charon. Up until Emma passed out, for then all eyes were on the blonde savior as her parents tried to wake her.

"Emma?"

"What happened?" Henry asked, his voice laced with fear and worry.

Suddenly, Emma woke, her breathing heavy. Snow and David sighed in relief as they helped her into a sitting position. "Emma, are you okay? You just passed out."

"Yea," she replied.

"Good, because we're here."

When they finally reached the docks of the Underworld, one by one, they stepped off the boat, Henry going before Teresa as to help her.

As they walked the boardwalk off the small boat, they were suddenly teleported down Main Street, in the Underworld version of Storybrooke.

The clock tower was broken and on the ground, and dead people were walking around, their feet dragging slightly. Above them, the sky was a fiery orange mist color, a thick fog all around.

"I don't think we're in Maine anymore..."

"Why does hell look like Storybrooke?" Teresa asked.

"All questions are pointless," Gold said. "All that matters is, all these people in this Underworld are dead and trapped because they have unfinished business."

Suddenly, the revving of an engine in the distance could be heard, before a very familiar black and white car strolled back.

"Curella..."

"That's right. And she's here because of you. And I imagine there are many here because of all of us. Let's not lollygag."

"Split up," Emma suggested. "We'll cover more ground."

Regina nodded. "Agreed. The sooner we get out of here, the better."

Emma split off with Henry, leaving Teresa to go with Snow, even if she wanted to go with Henry. But she knew the mother and son needed some time together, so she was going to give it to them.

As they walked, Snow wielding the bow that Teresa had trained her to use long ago, and Teresa with her ice magic in her veins, they began searching for Killian Jones.

"So, you and Henry. Don't think I didn't notice those smiles."

Teresa gave her friend a weird look. "What smiles?"

"After we got our memories back —  what did you see?"

Teresa blushed. "Well, I uh...Henry sort of...kissed me."

Snow gasped and abruptly stopped, turning to her with a large grin. "You did?! Oh, Teri, I'm so happy for you." She pulled her friend into a tight hug, making her laugh.

When they parted, Snow was still grinning. "What was it like?"

Teresa was still blushing furiously. "It felt good."

"I was telling David that I thought you two were being exceptionally close all of a sudden!"

Teresa chuckled. "Alright, enough about me and Henry please, lets just find Hook and get out of here."

➳

After some searching around town, the pair found themselves in Granny's. People were actually seated at tables and enjoying food, which honestly surprised them book. They shared a look before walking up to the counter, where a blonde haired woman was cleaning a glass.

The woman sniffed the air before smiling. "Is that... I know you. Aren't you Snow White? And..." she sniffed the air again. "Teresa Holmes?"

By the looks of it, the woman was blind. "Can you imagine? Uh, well, what can I get you? Do you like gingerbread or children?" Teresa and Snow's eyes widened. "Kidding. But the...the gingerbread's actually not bad."

"We're looking for a friend. He would have gotten here recently. Uh, dark hair, a hook for a hand."

The woman gasped. "Captain Hook."

"You know him?"

"No, no. But your description's pretty complete."

The door opened again, this time David entering. Snow sighed upon seeing him. "David. You changed. What happened? Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine."

"Good, because I'm not. This place is creeping me out — "

Teresa's eyebrows shot up as David had stepped forward and cut her off with a rather passionate kiss.

David chuckled after pulling away. "I see why my brother likes you."

Teresa and Snow's eyes widened, and Snow stepped back in shock. "James."

He grinned. "Indeed. So...Snow White and Teresa Holmes are in town. I'm guessing that means my brother is, too."

Teresa stared at him in shock, wondering how he knew her.

James then picked up a cup of coffee. "Alright. When you see ol' Dave, tell him there's a new sheriff in town." With a wink toward Snow, he brushed past them.

Suddenly, David had entered. "Was that...my brother?"

"Yeah."

"Snow!"

It was then that Teresa and Snow spotted the blonde woman next to David. "Oh, right...look who I ran into."

Snow's eyes widened. "Alice?"

Alice grinned, and stepped forward, pulling Snow into a hug. "Even under the circumstances, it's still good to see you. I hear you had another baby? Prince Neal, what a wonderful name."

Teresa was staring at the woman in shock. So this is famous Alice Henry was telling me Regina lost...

They parted, and Snow frowned. "Alice, why're you here?"

"It appears I have some unfinished business. What it is, well I didn't know until right now. I think I was meant to help you find Killian and get out of this place alive."

"Alice," David said, gesturing toward Teresa. "This is Teresa."

"Oh I know who she is," Alice smirked, turning to face the teenage archer. "Everyone always talked about the two greatest archers in a the realms; Teresa Holmes and Robin Hood. I must say, it's nice to finally meet at least one of you."

Teresa smirked. "Well, I heard a lot about you too, it's nice to put a face to the name finally."

Alice chuckled. "Yea, same here."

The door opened yet again, this time with Emma and Gold entering. "Mom. Dad. You find — " Emma paused, her eyes widening as soon as she caught sight of the familiar blonde woman. "Alice?"

"Emma," Alice greeted, pulling the fellow blonde woman into a quick hug. She then parted and looked at Emma with sadness. "I'm sorry about Killian. I want you to know that I'm going to help you find him. I know this place, so perhaps I could ask around to some of the nicer people."

Emma let out a breath of relief. "That would be amazing, thank you."

"No problem," Alice said.

"Well, there's no sign of him at the park or the town hall...or here," Teresa sighed.

"This is hopeless. We don't even know if Hook's here. What if he has no unfinished business?"

Alice smirked. "Trust me, he has unfinished business. I know Killian well enough to know that he does."

"Alice is right," Gold said. "He died a Dark One, Miss Swan. Trust me, he's here. Look, I'm finished being a team player. If you want things done, let me do them my way. I may have something down here that can help us." Gold then left the diner.

"Henry," Emma said, moving past the group to her son, who arrived through the back of the diner.

"No luck yet, Mom?" Henry asked, meeting his mother half way.

"Not yet." Emma let out a sigh, and her eyes then spotted something in Henry's hand. "What's that?"

"I was just checking the rooms."

"Room eight." Emma frowned. "That was your dad's. You're looking for him?"

"I wanted to let him know I was okay."

Emma's heart clenched in pain. "He knows, kid. He knows."

"How can you be sure?"

"I just am." Emma's voice began to break. "He's in a better place, I promise."

Again, the door opened. This time, it was the last of them: Regina and Robin. With one look at Regina, everyone knew she had discovered something that needed to be told, but before she even spoke, Alice grinned and her eyes filled with tears.

"Regina."

Regina's entire body froze upon hearing her voice, and her heart began to race. "Alice?"

Alice stepped forward and pulled the love of her life into a tight hug, closing her eyes as Regina' vanilla scented perfume hit her nostrils. She had missed her scent, her smile, her laugh — everything.

When they parted, Alice brushed away Regina's tears. She felt a strong urge to kiss her, but David had told her everything, that she was now with Robin Hood in a loving relationship, and she was going to respect that.

So instead of giving into the urge, Alice turned to Robin and extended her hand toward the man that picked up the pieces of her true loves broken heart. "Thank you."

Not knowing what to say, Robin only smiled as he shook her hand.

➳

"She'll really do that?" Snow said. "She'll throw Alice and your father, her husband, into the fire?"

Regina had just finished telling them that her and Robin had a run in with a man that led them to the town hall, where her mother, Cora Mills, was in the mayor office. Now, Cora was making threats so Regina would take everyone and leave.

"Of course she will. She thinks she's giving me my best chance. I can't let my father and Alice suffer because of me."

Alice gave her a tiny smile. "You don't have to worry about me, Gina. It will be alright."

"No, it's not. You're both here because of me. The only way I've been able to deal with that is by imaging you both went to a better place, but...you didn't. Maybe I should get on that boat."

Emma nodded. "Yes, you should."

"Absolutely not. We're not leaving until we find Hook together."

"It's dangerous here," Emma stated.

"Which is why we're not leaving you alone."

"Perhaps I can cut through this little family squabble," Gold said, walking in with a magical object in his grip.

"What the hell is that?" Robin asked.

"This is the way to find your deceased pirate. The Ale of Seonaidh from the land of DunBroch."

"That's a mouthful," Teresa commented.

"It lets you communicate with the dead. Pour this over Hook's grave, and we can stop guessing where he is and simply ask him."

"You're saying Hook has a grave here in the Underworld?" David asked.

Alice nodded. "Everyone down here has a grave."

"Where is it?" Emma asked.

"At the cemetery, of course."

"Well, if this works, we could find Hook before the boat leaves. We could all get out of here together."

"A fine idea," Gold nodded. "I suggest you all get moving."

"No way." Emma walked forward, stopping Gold from leaving. "You're coming with us."

Gold shook his head, and instead placed the potion in Emma's hands. "You can do this part on your own. There's a boat that's leaving soon. You want to find Hook? Fine. But I have no interest in exploring this world further. You can meet me there. But that's entirely up to you."

Teresa had to agree with Gold, she had no desire to stay in Hell any more than she had to.

Emma went to follow him out the good, but Snow stopped her. "Emma. There's no time to argue. If there's even a chance that will work, we have to risk it."

➳

The had been able to find the grave marked Killian Jones rather quickly, with the help of Alice is had gone extremely fast. Apparently all the names of the people get organized alphabetically, so she had led them straight to where the pirate's grave was.

When they got there, Emma took an intake of breath as she played with the ring around her neck. The same wing Hook has given her in Camelot. "Alright. Let's do this."

"You okay?" Snow asked, noticing that her daughter seemed to hesitating to pour down the potion.

"I just hope he is," Emma replied before stepping forward and pouring the potion that Gold gave her over Hook's grave. After a few moments, Hook appeared in front of them, but he kept flashing in and out.

A series of gasps slipped from their mouths at the sight of Hook. He was battered, bruised, bloody, burnt — he looked terrible.

Out of natural parental instincts, Regina and Robin instantly atepped in front of the only children present: Teresa and Henry, so they wouldn't see the sight of the pirate.

"Killian. Killian, we're here to help you. We just can't find you. Where are you?"

"Emma...the spell's not steady. He can't hear you."

"Just tell us where you are," Emma pleaded.

"Something's happening," Alice said, staring at Hook with concerned and horrified eyes.

"It's not holding."

"Talk to us. Talk to me." Hook them suddenly disappeared back into the ground, the potion not having been successful. Emma fell to her knees in an attempt to follow him. "Killian! He doesn't know we came for him. We...he doesn't know we're here. He doesn't know that I care."

"Yes, he does," Snow told her daughter, stepping forward to place a gentle hand on her shoulder. "And, Emma, we will find him."

"Will we? Did you not just see that?" Emma rose to her feet. "He's in pain. He's suffering. And look at this place. We have half an hour. You have half an hour. Cora has a boat coming. You have to take it, or we might all be stuck here."

"If she can arrange a way out, so can we...after we find Hook. We are not giving up on you," David said.

➳

Henry and Alice didn't hesiate to go with Regina after she announced that she wasn't going to leave like Emma suggested she should do. No, she was going to the fiery cave, where she knew her mother was going to make her father and Alice suffer.

Regina had begged for Alice to stay behind with the others, but Alice insisted on coming, to ensure that Cora Mills wouldn't harm Regina's father.

The trio stormed in, only to find Regina's father on the edge of a cliff, Cora Mills watching.

"Let him go, Mother."

"I see you found Alice," Cora said, sending Alice a glare. "You should be on that boat."

"I can't turn my back on those I love."

"I know that seems like the right choice, but life doesn't work that way. I implore you, leave this place."

"No, Regina. Stay here. Help your friends. She's trying to bait you."

Regina was torn, both Henry and Alice could tell. "I didn't come back just to help my friends. I came back to help everyone."

"That's not possible. You have to trust me."

"Let him go, Cora," Alice said from where she stood next to Regina.

"Your love for Alice is still there, that is the only reason you have stayed, Regina. Please listen to reason. Listen to me. Either way, my time in the Underworld is done. Yours can be, too. Just do what I say."

"Alice, get Henry back," Regina instructed.

Alice gently grasped Henry's shoulders and pulled him back before standing in front of him.

Regina stepped forward, only for Cora to step in front of her. "Please don't force my hand. I don't want to do this."

"Then don't."

"I'm sorry." With a wave of her hand, Regina's father was engulfed in the flames of the Underworld.

Their eyes widened in horror.

"No!" Regina ran forward, just as Cora teleported away. Regina was unable to go to her fathers rescue, as a fire barrier blocked her from getting any closer.

"Daddy!"Regina sobbed. "I'm so sorry."

Suddenly, the fire stopped surrounding Regina's father and a rock path began to build.

"Daddy?"

"Stop," he ordered. "Stay there. I'm okay." The walkway soon complete and a bright light appeared amongst them. It was the sun, and with it, a bright blue sky.

Henry knew instantly that it was Heaven, and that his grandfather was finally going to have piece.

"What's happening?"

"I don't know. There's...something down here. It's so...it's beautiful. It's where I belong." After a moment, he turned back around to face his daughter, and began walking toward her. 

"Come on, bud," Alice whispered, gently pushing Henry forward into a walk.

Henry gave Alice a small smile before the pair began walking towards Regina and Henry Mills Sr.

"I know what my unfinished business was now," he told his daughter. "It was you."

"Me?"

"For so long, I let your mother get in the way of who you really are. It was the biggest regret of my life. But now... you're free of her. And I've never been more proud." Regina let our a sob.

When they reached them, Henry gave his grandfather a smile. "Hi."

"Is that..."

Regina nodded, a smile tugging on her face. "This is your grandson...Henry."

"Thank you, Grandpa...for believing in her like I do."

He smiled at his grandson. "Thank you, Henry...for being there when I couldn't. You take good care of her." He then turned to face Alice. "Alice, it has always been a great pleasure knowing you. You take good care of my Regina as well."

Before Regina could say that Alice was dead, just like him, Alice stepped forward. "I will always take care of Regina, Mr. Mills."

With a final smile to all three of them, his gaze lingering on his grandson, he turn and left, crossing the bridge into Heaven.

➳

The once orange-misty sky was now dark, giving off the impression that is was now night. Henry walked with his mother and Alice toward the group, that stood at the broken clock tower waiting for them. His eyes instantly found Teresa's, who gave him a relieved smile. She had been worried.

"Tell me your father's okay," Snow said.

"He's better than okay."

"He's in a better place now," Henry said.

"Wait. That means everyone here..."

"Can be saved." David smiled as he turned to face Alice. "Including Alice."

Regina nodded, glancing at Alice with a tiny smile. "Every soul in this town has unfinished business. And chances are, for a lot of them, we're that business."

"You've all deluded yourself if you think these people are worth your time. They're not the dearly departed. They are dead, wretched souls, and I want no part of it."

"What you want doesn't matter. I wasn't bluffing...I'm happy to tell Belle about your return to Dark One-ness."

Teresa raised an eyebrow at Emma's threat. Dark One-ness?

"Our agreement was to find your pirate and get the hell out of here. If you want to distract yourself with this other asinine pursuit, be my guest. I'm out." With that being said, Gold then left.

After a moment, Henry smiled. "So...who's ready for Operation Firebird?"

Regina laughed. "Is that what we're calling it?"

"You referring to the mythological bird or the muscle car?" Emma asked in amusement.

"You have a name for everything, don't you?" Teresa smirked, as Emma wrapped her arm around Henry's shoulder and began walking down the road.

Henry chuckled.

A/N: I was so excited to write this chapter! I'm so happy you guys got to finally meet Alice! 😁😁