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INDIANA JONES
lxxv. JONES SIBLINGS

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PRESENT
UNDERWORLD

INDIANA JONES HAD TO confess that seeing her two brothers stand side-by-side for the first time was quite the sight. It was ironic, considering the very first Jones family reunion between the siblings had to occur only after each one of them had been killed.

Similar to the first time they were all together, Indiana refused to leave Killian or Peter's side. Someone would have to saw them in half if they desired to separate them. However, since Liam and Killian had been standing before her, Indiana almost felt required to stand a good distance from them. After all, the brothers Jones had a relationship that Indiana simply never got to have with them. It was like she was on the outside once again.

Feeling a hand squeeze her own, Indiana heard a familiar voice whisper into her ear, "Are you alright, love? You seem... stiff."

Indiana, with furrowed eyebrows, glanced upward at Peter Pan. There was a somewhat perplexed expression resting on her wearing face. Still, she quietly claimed, "Of course, I'm fine. It's just... I... It's..."

"...Weird seeing the Brothers Jones under these conditions?" Peter finished for her. Indiana licked her lips whilst giving him a soft smile, a quite hum leaving them.

"You always seem to know what I'm thinking," she mumbled, Peter's thumb forming circles on the back of her hand.

"You shouldn't expect anything less," Peter replied.

"I find it hard to expect anything from you," Indiana admitted. "You're always going off and surprising me everyday... even when I'm dead." Peter hummed quietly at her words.

With those words being spoken, Snow White and David cut into the kitchen of their Underworld apartment. Charming appeared to be carrying some kind of boxy object. "In the world above, this is where I found the storybook," Snow explained. Then, she proceeded to open the trunk and dig through it. A sigh of disappointment was soon heard. "Sorry..."

See, the gang was all gathered in the apartment of the Charming's because they were in search of a storybook--or well, the storybook. Since the Underworld is an exact copy of Storybrooke, everything had a copy. Their ideal plan was to use the book in order to learn Hades' past and defeat him once and for all.

"Are we really surprised?" Regina rhetorically wondered. "That book is the embodiment of hope!"

Nodding his head, Peter spoke up in agreement, "and there doesn't seem to be a lot of hope in Hell."

His words were enough to make Indiana laugh. It felt like the roles were switched in the sense that Indiana once felt the same way, but with Neverland rather than the Underworld. She wasn't even sure if the word "hope" was in Peter Pan's vocabulary. They truly had come a long way.

If Indiana was being honest with herself, she somehow still had a sliver of hope resting within her. Perhaps it was her natural determinedness coming out, but all Indiana could think of was positive thoughts, ideas, backup plans... nothing but positive thoughts. It almost made her want to throw up. It was like she was having an out of body experience, like she was suddenly realizing that she had changed so much.

At least, since Peter showed up again in her life.

He was her blooming flower in her state of destruction.

Trailing over to her brother as everyone continued to search for the book, she trailed over to her brother. Indiana pressed her lips into a flat line, observing as Killian anxiously searched for the famous storybook. "We're going to find it, you know," Indiana declared.

Glancing back at her, he sighed, "I'm not so sure of that, baby sister." He paused, turning to face her properly. He often forgot she was shorter than him. He often forgot a lot of small details, like the scar below her left eye, or how she longed for an adventure. Funny how even in this life, she still got the adventures she craved for like drugs. "Since when are you so hopeful and positive?"

Indiana shrugged. "Being a rebel in the land of hopelessness really does something to you, I suppose," she answered, earning a little snort of amusement from Killian.

Suddenly, teenager Henry Mills burst in through the front door. "Hey!" he greeted loudly, an almost frantic look on his face. Glancing around curiously and confusedly, he continued, "What's... going on?"

"Looking for the storybook," easily answered Snow White.

"Underworld edition," Indiana added.

"Hm... Well, I think I might know exactly where it is," Henry hesitantly declared. It seemed as if everyone stopped in their tracks upon hearing this information from the newest Author. Inching toward the teen, everyone questioned how he knew this. "The Apprentice. I saw him at..." He paused, making Indiana narrow her eyes at him. "... at Granny's. He said the Sorcerer's mansion is down here and there's a bunch of his stuff inside, like the storybook."

"Finally, some good news," muttered Regina.

"I'm sorry, are we just letting Henry run around freely? Are we forgetting where we are?" Indiana questioned protectively.

"Well, sort of good news," Henry mentioned, giving his former Nanny a look. It seemed as though the boy was growing tired of getting treated like a child. Was this how Indiana felt for the majority of her life? After all, she'd always been treated like she was weak because she was a kid on the wrong side of justice. "The house is locked with magic, and the sheriff has the key."

Indiana almost instantaneously gagged at the thought of James. "Wait... your evil twin is the Sheriff?" Peter said to David. "Hades has panache, I'll give him that."

"Well, it's time for my brother and me to have an overdue chat," David uneasily declared.

"Well, you won't be alone," Snow suddenly stated. "I still owe him a punch in his pretty mouth for kissing me."

"He kissed you?" David and Indiana interrogated at the same time.

"Thought it was you," Snow brushed off, heading toward the door. "Let's go."

Indiana practically threw up in her mouth. She wasn't sure what was worse – kissing Charming or James. As David walked behind his wife, Indiana couldn't help but call to them, "Shove your foot up his ass for me!"

"Is that the kind of language you should be using, young lady?" Liam questioned – which just so happened to be one of the only things he'd said to her that entire day. Indiana merely rolled her eyes at her older brother.

"I'm almost 2 centuries old, pal," Indiana snapped. "I'll say whatever the fuck I want."

Clearing his throat, Peter awkwardly broke up the siblings before their squabble grew into something worse and said, "In the meanwhile, we should all go about our usual business. Hades has eyes and ears all over this death trap. We can't have him learning what we're up to."

"Fine plan," Killian declared. "I can't wait to see the look on his face when he learns a valuable lesson – one should never mess with the Jones Siblings."

However, Liam and Peter appeared to be the last two standing in the apartment. Peter was just about to leave with Indiana to go who knows where, but he seemed to be stopped by Liam.

"Peter, can we, uh, talk for a second, lad?" Liam requested.

Shrugging, Peter nodded his head and gave the sailor all of his attention. "Sure, what's up?" Peter asked curiously. The informality almost threw Liam off. He had to remember what kind of world Peter came from. "Or are you about to give me the stereotypical, protective older brother chat? Trust me, Killian gave me an earful of it back on our land."

"And perhaps it went in one ear and out the other," Liam suggested. Peter immediately got an unfriendly vibe from him. "I know my sister and I don't get along and I don't know her as well as the rest of you, but I don't like you. I'll say it as it is. I don't like you and I think you tainted her mind. I think you need to let Indiana move on before you hurt her even more. I've heard the stories. You don't deserve my sister."

Peter arched an eyebrow at the sound of this. The Pan side of him was whispering to him in the back of his head, but Peter remained calm. "I hate to break it to you, lad, but Indie did that all on her own," Peter mentioned. "You think you're tough and that you know her, but you don't. You have no bloody clue what Killian and I have been through with her for the past 2 centuries. You don't have any idea what she's been through. You don't know a single thing about Indiana, so stop acting like you suddenly do."

With that, Peter walked out of the room.

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PRESENT
UNDERWORLD: GRANNY'S DINER

"Will you stop staring at the door?" Regina asked Emma Swan, slightly agitated. "When your parents walk through it, I promise I'll tell you."

"Maybe this was a bad idea. I should've gone with them," Emma mumbled worriedly.

Indiana rolled her eyes. "I think they can handle a little boy with Mommy issues," she commented, adjusting her seat as they lounged by the counter. "Would you relax? People are staring."

"Oh, people staring is the thing that makes Indiana Jones uncomfortable?" Emma teased.

"Don't think I forgot about your fear for the Tooth Fairy, Swan," Indiana fired back. She sighed, knowing that bickering wouldn't help time go by any faster. "Remember what Peter said, we need to act casual."

"Yeah..." Emma trailed off, taking a seat beside Indiana as Regina took a sip of her coffee. "By the way... what do you think of Liam? You don't think he's a little self-righteous, do you?"

"Oh, he's very self-righteous. And cocky. And annoying," Indiana listed. She and Regina shared a look of knowing.

"He doesn't like you, does he?" Regina realized, speaking Indiana's mind.

"He doesn't think I'm good enough for Hook," Emma quietly mumbled.

"That makes two of us," came a new voice from behind Indiana. She felt a pair of arms snake around her waist and a chin rest on the top of her head. Indiana furrowed her eyebrows together.

"Elaborate, would you?" she requested.

Peter shrugged. "It seems as though your brother doesn't like anyone that has eyes for his siblings," he detailed.

"Exactly! But it's different with Killian. It's like he thinks he walks on water," Emma ranted before sighing once again. "Liam thinks I should let Hook move on."

Regina scoffed and said, "Who cares what Liam thinks? That goes to both of you. What does Hook think?"

"He agrees," Emma muttered softly. She turned her attention to Indiana. "What do you think? About us trying to bring you back, too?"

Indiana's eyebrows shot up. "I didn't realize we were trying to pull a Frankenstein and bring me back to life," she admitted in surprise. "It's not that I wouldn't want to go back up with you all. It's just..." She smiled in a bittersweet manner. "I've been down here for awhile now. I mean... I've been trying to move on for 3 years." She paused, realizing Peter had tensed up. "Look, whatever happens happens. Let's just not think about that for now, okay? We have to figure out how to help Killian."

The bell attached to the door of the diner rang loudly, causing all four of them to snap their heads in the direction of it. Henry ran toward them.

"Moms, Indie, Peter! Grandma found the key!"

➖➖➖

PRESENT
UNDERWORLD: SORCERER'S MANSION

Approaching the mansion was a strange feeling. It was as though the gang was so close to tasting victory, yet they were so far away. It was like it was sitting in the palm of their hand, but they couldn't feel it. Either way, everyone was on edge as they made their way into the Sorcerer's Mansion.

"We should split up, move fast," Liam declared.

"Uh... I guess," Emma agreed. She looked back at her son. "Henry, uh, you got to stay here."

"But this was my idea," Henry argued. "I'm not gonna stand behind and do nothing."

"You're not doing nothing," Emma said with a quiet voice, placing her hand on his shoulder. "You're... the lookout."

Henry scoffed. "Don't argue with your mother," Regina butted in.

"But—"

"Or your mother."

Indiana let out a sigh. "I'll stay with Henry," she volunteered. Peter gave her a look, but didn't argue against it. Ever since their little conversation at the Diner, things had gotten weird. Since they never got a real goodbye when she died, they were really just waiting for the inevitable at this point.

As everyone walked away, Indiana folded her arms over her chest, watching as Henry looked around. "Why'd you volunteer to stay with me?" he questioned unhappily.

She hummed. "Hm... well, I know what it's like to be left behind, and... I know you well enough to know you're gonna look around. The least I could do is make sure nothing happens to you," Indiana declared.

Henry grinned at her upon hearing this.

"Best Nanny ever."

And so, the search continued.

Henry proceeded to explain that he went out of his way to meet up with Cruella earlier that day, which confirmed Indiana's suspicions about him lying to them. In the end, it seemed that Henry was out for the Author's Pen. It didn't hit Indiana until then that if they had the pen, they could easily rewrite the stories.

"So..." Indiana trailed off as they strolled about the Mansion. "How's school?"

Henry snorted. "Really?"

Indiana laughed and said, "What?"

"You're really going to start talking to me about school when we're in Hell?" Henry teased. "That's a load of shit."

"Hey, watch your damn mouth," Indiana joked. Suddenly, the two spotted a glowing lamp. Pausing, they exchanged glances. "Is that...?"

"Only one way to find out."

Henry eagerly stepped forward and surely enough, the Author's Pen was hiding in a lampshade. "A lampshade? That's where one of the most powerful objects in all the realms was hiding all this time?" Indiana asked.

Henry just shrugged, and Indiana knew that there truly was hope that they could defeat Hades.

But at what cost?

After reuniting with the others, it was revealed to Indiana Jones that Liam Jones had sacrificed himself and moved onto a better life. It was beginning to piss her off, how she seemed to miss everyone leaving.

Along with that information, it seemed as though that Liam had been doing his end of a deal and ripped out the pages about Hades in the storybook (which they ended up finding in the end). However, the pages were destroyed by Hades, which left the gang thinking one thing.

What was Hades hiding?