Finding Pan | OUAT Fan-fiction

40: Time's Cruel Hand

Elle could not believe what she heard from her father. She truly was... Dead. She looked up at her father, "Was I ever truly alive? How can I call this life my own?"

"Elle," Her father said, grunting, "I know you're distraught by the news, but understand that we could not lose you. We have faith that you can stop Hades."

"And how do you suppose I do that?" Elle snapped, "I am tied up in these stupid chains. I am just a shell for a goddess."

"You are not just a vessel," the all too familiar voice said in my head. 

The tone made me widen my eyes. Was this Persephone?

"Now that you know the truth," Persephone said in her mind, "Our full powers can be reawakened."

"Why don't you just exit my body?" I asked knowing she could hear me somehow.

"I cannot. Our fate is intertwined," Persephone's voice sighed, "I'm sorry, Elle. I just wanted to give you a second chance at life."

Elle didn't say anything else and turned her attention to footsteps. She smiled seeing Emma running towards them. 

"Emma," Elle exclaimed. 

"Killian!" Emma shouted. 

The chain lowered him and Elle thrashed about in her chains. 

"Be careful, Emma," Elle warned as the blonde looked at the narrow beam in front of her, "That water is dangerous. By touching it, you are reduced to a lost soul."

"Hang on," Emma said to them, "I'm coming for you."

Hook's chain dropped lower and Elle fought against the chains. She tried to summon Persephone's powers, but failed. Just before he fell past the point of no return, Emma had grabbed him. 

"I got you," she said to him. 

Hook groaned in pain as she laid him down. She quickly freed Elle who watched Emma and Hook. 

"I'll go watch the entrance," Elle said and turned away. 

She crossed the narrow beam with ease and glanced back at Emma and Hook sharing an intimate kiss. No, Elle shook her head, He deserves to move on and be happy. 

When she got to the entrance, she saw Mr. Gold and a woman who spoke about her unfinished business. 

"It's Baelfire, I should have been there for him. Not punished him because I'd grown to hate his father. I was selfish. I thought if I could change that, do something generous, maybe I could finish what I need to."

"So you want to move on," Mr. Gold asked her.

"Yeah," the woman replied, "So I can see him and I can say to him, 'Son, I'm sorry for everything.'"

Then it hit her. It was her mother.

"Milah?" Elle asked in a quiet voice. 

The woman turned around and covered a hand with her mouth. She exited the boat and stood before Elle, "Elle, is it really you?"

"Mom?" Elle let out with wet eyes. 

She ran into her mother's arms and felt the warmth coming from her. Her tears stained Milah's clothing, but she could not have cared less. Milah existed as fragments in her mind, having lost her mother at the age of four. 

"Elle," Milah tearfully wept, "I thought I'd never see you again."

She pulled her head away and touched Elle's cheek lovingly, "You've grown to be so beautiful. I see Persephone's words have come true, that you would end up here in Hades' clutches. I'm sorry for causing all of this."