Lionhearted [ON HOLD FOR NOW]

47. Labor of Love

PRESENT - UNDERWORLD

In Hades' underground prison, Hook was unconscious in a small space, before he suddenly gasped and woke up. Screaming could be heard in the distance.

Hook grimaced in pain as he manages to roll over and get onto one knee, clearly very injured. "Is this a bloody trick?!" He managed to get to his feet, and went to step off the small platform he was on, but was stopped by a female voice.

"Stop," Meg said. "That's exactly what it is... A trick. Don't move. He wants you to think you can escape, but... you can't. No one can."

"Aye. We'll see about that." He took one step off the platform.

"Don't! He'll hunt you down."

"Hades has already done his worst to me."

"I don't mean Hades."

"Who, then?"

"No. Just don't."

"Look, this isn't my first cell. I don't just sit around and rot. Now, somebody's come down here to save me, and I need to make her job easier."

"How do you know she's here?"

"She got me a message."

"How do you know that wasn't one of Hades' tricks?"

"Because I know! When you love someone, you know. Now, what's keeping us in here?"

"Something you don't want to face."

"Well, I'll be the judge of that." He stepped off the platform and grunted. "Time to go." He began to limp towards her.

"Are you mad?"

"Perhaps." He held his hand out for her. "But I'm the best chance you have. Here. Come on." Meg whimpered before taking his hand and standing. "You ready? All right, go. Go!"

The two began running from the room they were in and instantly Cerberus growled from down one of the corridors.

Meg was scared and panicking. "I told you we'll never make it."

Hook stopped her. "We won't... but you will. I'll draw the hell beasts away. You run. And once you're free, find Emma Swan. I'm Captain Killian Jones... Captain Hook. Tell her to find me."

"Okay."

"Go!" Meg ran away and Hook turned back to where the growling was coming from, and from in the shadows, a three headed dog appeared, and slowly Hook began to step backwards.

---

Mary Margaret was walking through the cemetery, peering at graves.

David followed behind her and said, "Mary Margaret. What are- What are you doing? We've got a lot of ground to cover."

Mary Margaret stopped in front of a grave. "David, these graves." She sighed. "They're all from my father's kingdom. They were my subjects. I was supposed to protect them. And now how am I supposed to protect our daughter in the Underworld?"

"Because you're not doing this alone. Mary Margaret, we will find a way to protect Emma. We always do. Now, come on. She's looking for Hook in the woods just south of here. She's good... but nobody's better at tracking than Bandit Snow. Let's go help her." They both started walking for a few meters together, when Mary Margaret stopped, as she'd spotted something. "What is it?" He followed Mary Margaret to where she was walking. "Mary Margaret? What's wrong?"

Mary Margaret knelt in front of a grave and reached out to touch it.

PAST - ENCHANTED FOREST