Scara Rose, The Warrior

Chapter 20

Emma's pov

We're all sitting around the loft trying to come with a way to get out of this hell hole. Well, all except Robin. He went to give his baby to Zelena for the time being.

"Hades controls every aspect of the Underworld, including who leaves," Scara informs us, "In order to get out, you need Hades approval. And since Hades won't ever let anyone ever leave, we need to defeat him so that a portal could open."

"Then it's just a matter of how," I add in, "how do you kill the God of the death?"

Suddenly an older woman with shoulder length blonde hair bursts through the door. On instinct, my entire family gets on defensive mode.

"Chief Strauss?"

Scara's pov

"Chief Strauss?" I ask lowering my hands. I was prepared to either use my magic or hand-to-hand because I don't have any weapon on me.

What the hell is going on?

"Rose," she says in relief, as she comes over to hug me, "please just call me Erin."

This is our first hug and first time she's called me by a name that didn't involve a job title, ever, and it is awkward as hell.

"I just found out you were down here, I'm so sorry. How did it happen?"

"Just a hit and run," I say on instinct.

Strauss raises an eyebrow at me. Damn it, I forgot she's a profiler.

I widen my eyes at her to signal her to let it go. Instead of investigating me, she changes the subject.

"So rumor has it, you all are trying to leave the Underworld. I'm here to help."

"And we'd greatly appreciate it. Everyone this is Erin Strauss," I introduce, "Strauss, meet my family."

Erin looks genuinely surprised.

"Pleasure to meet you all," she states.

Wow, all it took was Strauss to be murdered by a copycat serial killer to actually be pleasant to be around.

"How can you help us?" Emma asks.

"Right, so there have been rumors floating around about a magic book. I'm told that there's a version of it where you're from. It says 'Once Upon a Time' on it."

"My storybook," Henry exclaims, pulling his book from his bag.

"Yes," Strauss continues, "Supposedly there's a more updated version of it hidden away in the Hades' torture chambers. They say it has the answer to defeating him."

"Thank you," I say in complete shock, "What's your unfinished business?"

I see Strauss visibly tense up, but she also looks uneasy. I can easily deduce that it has to do with her killer.

"We caught him," I say carefully.

As soon as the words leave my mouth, Strauss visibly relaxes.

"To be more specific, Rossi tricked him into blowing himself up."

Strauss laughs at that.

"Sounds like Dave alright."

"It really does," I say laughing also.

"Well now I can move on, thank you."

"Goes both ways," I add, "good luck."

"See you on the other side," she says, giving me a hug goodbye.

After Strauss leaves, I turn to my family. I'm still a little shocked about what just happened.

"Well that was unexpected," I say.

"How so?" Henry asks.

"Let's just say that death changed her personality. Now let's get to work on finding that book."

Everyone nods as we set off to Hades' underground chambers. We all leave the loft and walk toward, what I'm told, is to be Emma and Killian's new home back in Storybrooke. The entrance to the tunnels is in the basement.

My family and I are walking down the sidewalk with my mom and me in back. I take notice of my mom trying to make eye contact, but every time she shies away.

"You know, the inability to maintain eye contact is the number one sign of guilt."

My mom looks at me with shock and slight fear.

"There's nothing to be guilty about. None of this is your fault."

"It doesn't change the fact that we weren't there for you. You're still dead, and there's nothing I can do to change that. There was nothing I could ever do for you. I didn't know that I was pregnant. I didn't even have the chance to name you."

So that's what's really getting to her.

"Well if there's one thing I've learned down here, it's to not regret the past. Crappy or not, it got you to where you are. Being dead sucks. It sucks that I was taken from people who I care for, but if I hadn't died you probably never would have found me. Even if you did, I highly doubt I would have actually believed in, this. As far as my name goes, yeah I have a first and last name, but...I don't have a middle name."

My mother snaps her attention to me and smiles.

"It may sound kind of weird, but I never chose myself a middle name because it was something I had wanted the people who adopted me to choose. Since I'm your daughter...you could...you know."

Snow looks at me with the happiest smile that I've ever seen.

"Scara, we would love that," she says, giving me a watery hug.

"Me too," I say, enjoying the feeling of being in my mother's arms.

I really needed this growing up.

We finally arrive at the white picket fence house. My family and I go inside and head down to the caverns. Just as we get to the dock and get ready to sail down the river, a swirling cloud of dark magic appears.

When it fades we see know other than the devil himself, Hades.