See, here's the thing, brother dear, I too am on the list of people Hades is taking to the Underworld. So sorry I didn't tell you before…

Sherlock groaned. How does one tell their brother they're going to be dragged to hell? Mycroft already had a hard enough time coming to terms with the concept of magical characters being real. It was hard to predict how he'd react to this.

In addition to telling Mycroft, there was the added obstacle of telling Regina. The mere thought made his stomach turn. He knew he should, but he also knew it would hurt her, and Sherlock would rather let Hades take him than do that.

But, a voice that sounded irritatingly like John said in his mind, by not telling her, aren't you setting her up for more pain?

"Oh, shut up," he grumbled aloud. He wasn't in the mood to argue with the John of his subconscious. It was hard enough dealing with the real one, whose words regarding Regina had plagued Sherlock all night. "And I've seen the way you two act around each other. The way she acts around you."

What did that even mean?

Sherlock shoved it aside. He could mull it over later. Right now, he had to talk to Mycroft.

He knocked on the door to Mycroft's room, wishing he could just walk right in like his brother typically would at Sherlock's flat in London. He imagined himself poofing into the room like Regina, and not for the first time, he wondered what it would be like to have magic.

Mycroft opened the door and raised an eyebrow at the sight of Sherlock standing there. "I didn't expect to see you so soon."

Sherlock normally would've come up with a snappy response, but he was too tired to do so. "I have something I need to tell you."

Mycroft looked him over, his piercing eyes sweeping across Sherlock from head to toe, and he knew. Sherlock knew he knew everything he'd come to say. It was in the way his shoulders drooped ever so slightly, and his face became ashen. The way the tight line of his mouth loosened. Sherlock Holmes was a dead man, and Mycroft knew it.

Wordlessly, he stepped aside, and Sherlock walked in. The room was similar to the one he'd shared with John when they first arrived. It felt like a lifetime ago, not two months. The thought made his head spin.

"Why didn't you tell me yesterday?" Mycroft asked. To an outsider, he would sound indifferent. Only Sherlock could tell how upset he truly was, and it frightened him more than he'd care to admit.

"Regina doesn't know," Sherlock replied, a bit surprised he was willing to part with the truth so easily. Maybe all the secret-keeping he'd done over the past two months made it impossible for him to do any more.

"Ah, yes," Mycroft said, watching Sherlock closely. "Regina. Quite an interesting woman."

"Indeed."

For a long moment, the two brothers simply stared at each other. Sherlock didn't want to break first, but the silence grated his nerves.

"Oh, out with it already."

Mycroft smirked, though it lacked its usual bite. "I'm merely curious as to why you want to spare her feelings. It's never been important to you. And besides, isn't she the Evil Queen?"

"Former Evil Queen," Sherlock said without hesitation. "She's my friend, Mycroft, and she's been through a lot. I don't want to make things worse for her."

The look of surprise on Mycroft's face was fleeting. He pulled out his cell phone and idly tapped out a message, most likely to his assistant. Sherlock waited, knowing his brother was just trying to put him off.

"I never thought we'd reach the day where you cared about someone other than John," Mycroft remarked, not looking up from his phone. Sherlock bristled a bit, but didn't say anything. Mycroft's tone was prying, wanting to know more about Sherlock's feelings toward Regina.

Feelings? he thought. What feelings?

"Can we focus on the fact that I'm being taken to hell in a few days?" he asked shortly. Mycroft put his phone away and looked up at Sherlock. All inquisitiveness disappeared from his expression, and he turned serious once more.

"What progress has been made since yesterday? Surely people have been working overnight to think of something."

"Apparently Hercules believes he can stop Hades, but Belle isn't as sure."

Mycroft looked faintly sick. "Hercules. Yes, well, it's something."

"I'm going to meet with Regina after this. We'll get to work, make a real plan." Sherlock tried to say this matter-of-factly, but it came out more like he was convincing himself. They'd think of something. They had to.

"Sherlock," Mycroft said. Sherlock nearly recoiled at the uncharacteristic softness of his voice. "Do you believe you'll find a way to stop Hades?"

Sherlock hesitated for only a moment before saying yes, but it was enough for Mycroft. He swallowed and looked at the floor. Sherlock had never seen his brother appear so affected by anything.

"We're going to try," Sherlock said. "If we find something, or get a lead, I'll call you." He wasn't completely sure where the brotherly concern came from (as normally he would've kept Mycroft out of the loop), but it felt right. Mycroft nodded.

"Give Mayor Mills my regards," he said before disappearing into the bathroom. Sherlock noticed he didn't call her "Her Majesty," though he certainly could've. He had the inexplicable urge to thank Mycroft, but instead swallowed it and left the room.

He needed to get to work.

Rumple stared at the couch from his vantage point in the kitchen. He lifted his cup of tea to his lips, though he barely took a sip. He couldn't decide whether to stay in the kitchen or go into the living room. Not for the first time since coming downstairs, he wondered where his wife was.

Belle had explained the whole situation to him the night before, and he was no closer to being okay with it now than he was then. The famous demigod Hercules was now curled up on his couch, fast asleep. Rumple hadn't been expecting Belle to show up at home with a young man in tow, but somehow that's what happened.

"Good morning," Belle whispered, coming up behind him. She kissed his cheek and wrapped an arm around his waist. This was often Rumple's favorite part of the morning, the quiet time between him and his wife where the little displays of affection were frequent and sweet. He tried not to think about how those moments were numbered, or that there was someone sleeping on their couch. No, it was just them.

"Should we wake him up?" He nodded towards Hercules. He knew the boy had a long night talking strategy with Regina and Belle, but he was anxious to get started on what was currently their only plan for defeating Hades. He wanted more mornings with Belle.

Belle rubbed his arm. "Maybe give him a few more minutes. He needs his full strength if he's going to fight Hades."

"About that," Rumple said slowly. Belle raised her eyebrows. "Do you think he's capable of doing so?"

Belle bit her lip. She glanced once more into the living room before pulling Rumple further into the kitchen.

"He certainly believes he is," she reported. "But I can't help but get the feeling he's a bit too confident in his abilities."

Rumple rubbed his eyes. He'd suspected as much, but hearing Belle confirm it was like the nail in the coffin. "We're doomed. I'm doomed."

"Hey!" Rumple opened his eyes to see Belle glaring at him. "You can't think like that. We don't know anything for sure. Hercules could prove to be the hero the stories make him out to be. We haven't lost yet."

Without taking his eyes off her, Rumple moved around the counter so he was standing right in front of her. Belle's face was flushed, and her eyes were alight with the fierceness that had captivated him the moment they met.

"I love you," he said. It was all he could manage. She seemed to understand. She wrapped her arms around his neck and sank into his embrace. Her warm breath on his neck reminded him that he was still alive. It was like she said: they hadn't lost yet.

Emma had been in the process of trying to coax Killian out of the house when she heard a knock on the front door. It pained her to leave her fiancé so despondent, so she hurried to the door in the hopes of shooing away whoever was there quickly. That plan was thrown out when she saw it was Henry. In the chaos of the past few days, she hadn't been able to see her son, and it killed her. It took all her strength not to break down in front of him.

"Hey, kid," she said, trying for a weak smile. Henry didn't return it, which was a little unnerving, since he always exuded optimism.

"Hey," he replied. "I was wondering why you haven't been by yet."

Emma scrambled to think of something she'd missed. Did they have plans? Were they planning on celebrating something? She came up empty, and felt terrible about it.

"I'm sorry, Henry." She stepped out of the way so he could come inside. "I guess I've been distracted by everything with Hades. I mean, between Killian and my parents…" She trailed off at the look on her son's face. "What's wrong?"

"You don't know, do you?" His voice was quiet, and he somehow looked far smaller than he should. Emma felt an uneasy chill spread over her body.

"No," she whispered. "No no no…"

A tear slipped down Henry's face. "I'm sorry, Mom."

Emma rushed over and enveloped Henry in her arms. She couldn't tuck his head under her chin, but she cupped the back of it with her hand and guided it to her shoulder. She shook with the vibrations of his sobs, and it took all her control not to fall apart.

Her fiancé. Her parents. Her son.

I should just ask Hades to take me too, she thought. At least we'd be together.

Henry was still saying sorry. She pulled back just a bit and tilted his head up.

"Don't apologize," she said, her voice shaky. "This isn't your fault."

"But you don't deserve this," he said. "You could lose everyone, and that's not fair." His words were occasionally punctuated by hiccups.

"I'm not losing anyone," she said. "I refuse to. We'll stop him, and we'll all be fine. You hear me? We're going to be fine."

Emma wasn't aware Killian had joined them until his arms encircled her and Henry. She bit back a sob as she leaned back against him.

"You heard your mother," Killian said roughly. "We're going to be fine." It was the first time since Hades' visit that Killian had said something like that aloud. Emma wasn't sure if he actually believed it, but it was still comforting to hear.

We're going to be fine, she repeated in her head. We're going to be fine.

"You're late," Regina said, not looking up from her cold cup of coffee. Sherlock dropped into the chair across from her, a wince crossing his face.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I stopped by my brother's room."

She looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. "Trying to get him to leave?"

For a moment, he looked uncomfortable. It was odd, seeing him like that, but a second later he looked perfectly composed as usual. "'Trying' being the operative word. He refuses to budge."

Regina smirked and took a sip of her coffee. She winced at the taste and pushed the cup away from her. Sherlock downed the rest of it in one gulp.

"He's just worried about you," she said. "It's sweet."

Sherlock looked aghast. "What does he have to be worried about? I'm perfectly fine, and I can take care of myself. If anything, he should be concerned with his increasing waistline."

Regina laughed at that, and the corner of his mouth quirked up. His acerbic comments never failed to amuse her. It was something they had in common, and with everything that was going on, she was grateful she had that to hold onto.

"He seems interesting, your brother," she said. With a wave of her hand, two steaming mugs of coffee appeared on the table, replacing the empty one. Granny shot her a look from behind the counter, which she ignored. Sherlock nodded his thanks as he took a sip.

"Can we not talk about Mycroft right now? We have other things to worry about."

Regina sat back in her chair, trying not to seem too disappointed. He was right, of course, but she'd been unable to curb her interest in Sherlock's past. There was so little she knew, and Mycroft symbolized all of that. Plus, her talk with John from the day previous was still fresh in her mind. In his eyes, she was the new person in Sherlock's life. What did that mean? She had planned to ask Sherlock whether Mycroft liked her or not in the hopes that would help her figure it out. Sadly, it would have to wait.

"Hercules is at Belle's house," she said. "I talked to him last night."

"And?" Sherlock tapped his fingers on the tabletop. "What did he say?"

She hesitated for a moment, recalling her conversation with Boy Wonder. He was certainly eager, she had to give him props for that. It was actually a tad annoying, if she had to be honest. It was clear he hadn't thought much past getting to Storybrooke. All he said (over and over) was that he would use his strength to stop Hades. Regina had to work really hard not to wring his neck after a while.

"Apparently," she said, "his father Zeus told him that if he defeated Hades, he would be granted access to Mount Olympus."

Sherlock didn't respond for a moment, staring instead at the tabletop. Getting frustrated, Regina poked his arm. He jumped and looked up at her.

"Sorry," he said, "I was just thinking about Mount Olympus. Hard to believe that's real."

"You've been living amongst fairytale characters for months now."

He waved his hand. "Yes, but these are gods we're talking about. I'm sorry, go on. What else did the boy say?"

"That he's planning on defeating Hades with his strength."

Sherlock's eyebrows furrowed. "He can't be serious."

"Oh, I'm pretty sure he is," Regina said, taking a sip of coffee. "He seems to think that's enough."

"It won't be," he said. "He'll fail."

She played with the handle of her mug. Sherlock had reached the same conclusion she had the night before, what she'd already admitted to herself. But somehow, hearing him say it aloud made it all the more real.

Sherlock seemed to know what Regina was thinking, for he took her mug out of her hands and intertwined their fingers. His were cool and surprisingly soft.

"I'm sorry," he said. She looked up and gave him a half-hearted smile.

"It's alright. I wasn't expecting much from him anyway."

That was a boldfaced lie. The minute Hercules had stated his name at the town line, Regina had been filled with traitorous hope. She'd seen the Disney movie with Henry countless times, of course she knew that Hercules was a hero. In that moment, she'd started to believe they had a chance.

Of course, if anyone knew that the movies and stories were wrong, it was her. Just because Hercules stopped Hades in an animated movie didn't mean he could do it here. Not when he was so young and naive.

"Maybe," Sherlock said, drawing her from her thoughts. "He can still help us."

She realized a second too late that she'd been staring at their joined hands. Hastily looking up, she was relieved to see Sherlock hadn't noticed.

"How?" she asked once she'd pieced together what he said. "He seems useless."

"On his own, yes," he acquiesced with a nod, "but you said it yourself earlier. He's amongst fairytale characters. The greatest heroes known to man. If we help him…"

"He might stand a chance," Regina said slowly. That warm, disgusting feeling of hope began to grow again, and she gripped his hands just a bit tighter. Sherlock's eyes were bright, practically glowing with the possibilities.

"Shall we go talk to him?" he asked. Regina was already standing up, pulling him with her.

"Let's go."

Sherlock felt electricity between them. He tried focusing his mind elsewhere, on what he would say to Hercules, if he should tell anyone else about the destiny that Hades had given him, but it seemed helpless. He could only feel Regina's palm in his, their fingers laced, walking quickly down the roads of the town.

"What the hell?" He turned to Regina as she spoke. Her eyes were wide, staring ahead. He looked quickly, his eyes adjusting.

Before them, racing down the road, was a large, black, flying… thing. He couldn't identify what it might be, but he was sure Regina knew.

"A demon. Hades must have let one out." She scowled and lurched to the side of the road, pulling Sherlock under an awning. "He's testing that boy, I just know it."

Sherlock stared at her, dumbstruck. "So you've dealt with these before?"

It was difficult to hear her over the monstrous roar of the demon. "Yes, it won't be easy." She let go of his hand before he could say anything, and began rolling up her sleeves. He felt an absence as soon as she had released her grip.

"Regina, don't hurt yourself," He tried grabbing her arm to keep her from moving, but she was already out into the street, bracing herself. "Regina!"

Hercules came racing down the road just as the demon did. He held a long and golden sword, his chest puffed out, his run valiant. Sherlock felt like rolling his eyes. Before Regina could tell Hercules to step back, the demon knocked his tail into the boy, knocking him clear down the street. He watched as Hercules craned his neck at the beast, clearly terrified. He began crawling backwards, trying to get away, but it seemed he was trapped.

"Hey!" Regina shouted towards it. Sherlock began running to the middle of the street, prepared to stop Regina from egging the thing on. But before he knew it, her hand was outstretched, and he was being pushed backwards, unable to get her away.

He yelled again. "Regina!" But he knew it would do nothing.

The demon flew up in front of her, about to pounce, its red eyes glowing. She lifted her hands, but before she could stop it, the thing flew downward, pushing her to the ground. Sherlock heard half a scream. He yelled again, terrified. Immediately after, though, Regina was on her feet, pushing fire at the monster. It didn't take long before the demon retreated, flying quickly away.

Sherlock, released then, ran over. She clutched his shoulder and motioned for him to help her walk to the diner. It was clear how much pain the thing had caused. He walked her down the street and into the diner as she leaned against his side, cringing in pain with every step. Someone came over and helped lay her on the counter top.

"Regina, look at me," he said. Turning, he shouted to the dumbstruck people standing around. "Someone call John Watson, please, he's a doctor, someone please call him." Someone did as he was told, and Sherlock resumed hovering over Regina as they waited.

She didn't speak, but pulled up a part of her shirt, revealing a deep and bloody cut that ran across her rib cage. Sherlock forced himself not to cringe. Regina looked up at him. "It's fine, I'm fine." He could see the tears that she was repressing.

"Regina, it's not fine, you're in bad condition." He hadn't noticed until then, but Regina was squeezing his hand. Before he knew it, he was spewing his mind. "How did you let this happen, Regina? Your job is to stay safe! For Henry, for Roland, for-"

She looked up at him, but didn't fight back. "Regina, you didn't have to fight that thing alone, I don't know why you're being so stubborn." He placed his hand on her stomach, just below the cut.

"Me?" She spoke softly, quietly. But he could see the hurt in her eyes. "I'm the stubborn one?"

Sherlock swallowed. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

She groaned, closing her eyes with a wave of pain. "It's okay."

"No, it's not, I'm sorry." He squeezed her hand back, genuine.

He heard a noise at the door, and John was between the two of them instantly, yelling out directions to various people. After a moment he turned to Sherlock. "Go home, she'll be okay. You need to leave, okay?"

He didn't fight. It was too much seeing all the blood anyway. Usually it gave him a thrill, but now… He turned and hurried from the diner quickly, feeling the absence of a hand in his.

Will shuffled in the door, a Styrofoam container in hand. "Ana?"

He heard a quiet "yes" from the living room and padded over to his wife. She was sitting, knees to her chest, staring at a spot on the dirty wall.

He sat down beside her and placed the container on the coffee table. "What's going on?"

"I'm being dragged to hell, that's what's going on." Her thick accent filled the room.

Will sighed. "Not if anyone in this town's got to do with it."

Ana looked up. "Can I say something?" Her voice became less serious. He nodded. "I don't think the people here like me, Will."

Will tilted his head. "What are you talking about? That's ridiculous, Ana, they just haven't gotten to know you yet. Look at Belle, she's already thinking of you as a friend."

"I'm serious. The only people who ever visit the library are Belle and Henry. And even Henry hasn't warmed up that much."

Will laughed. "You're not very easy to warm up to, love."

Ana rolled her eyes and punched him lightly on the arm. "I just think that if it was only me who were being dragged down there, I don't think they would be trying so hard."

Will swallowed. He couldn't disagree with her. He was the only person who cared deeply about his wife, and although he was sure people would have helped, he wasn't sure it would have been made such an important issue. "That doesn't mean they don't like you."

"I suppose." She continued to stare at the wall.

Will stared at her, thinking of the past. "Remember when we decided to go to Wonderland?"

She smiled. "Yeah, what innocent times."

"We just wanted to get out. Start over. Run away."

Ana nodded, remembering.

"But we've changed, Ana. We aren't the scared, young kids we used to be. We have each other, but we have a community. We have friends, and you'll make more too."

Ana leaned over and kissed him. It had been a while since they'd had a real one. "You're right. If we make it through this, we can be happy here."

"Exactly."

Hercules couldn't stop shaking.

It wasn't supposed to happen this way. His dad told him that if he defeated Hades, he'd be given the thing he desired most: A home on Mount Olympus. Of course, Zeus had made it sound so easy. Just stop the god of the Underworld. No problem.

Hercules pressed himself closer to the tree he was sitting under. After the fiasco with the demon, he'd ran away as fast as he could. He ended up in a nice park and collapsed at the base of a tree. He hadn't moved in a while.

The minute he'd seen the demon flying over the town, he'd jumped into action. He knew the people of Storybrooke doubted his ability to stop Hades, so he saw this as his chance to prove them wrong. That had blown up in his face. Epically. He had been knocked down by the demon before he even got a single swing in. The queen had rushed in and sent the demon away with her magic. Hercules just laid on the ground.

How could he have possibly thought he could defeat Hades? He couldn't even hold his own against one of Hades' monsters. Against the god himself, Hercules didn't stand a chance.

"Stupid," he mumbled to himself. "You're so stupid."

"You better not be talking to me," someone said nearby. Hercules jerked his head around in surprise. Standing a few feet away was a beautiful girl with dark, wavy hair. She wore a dress not unlike the clothes he was used to back home, and her eyes shone with something he couldn't quite pinpoint. Amusement? Pity? Or… guilt?

"N-no," he said hastily once he realized he'd been silent for too long. "I was talking about myself."

The girl walked closer, one of her eyebrows lifting in a scrutinizing manner. "That doesn't seem very fair. I'm sure you're only moderately stupid."

That should've insulted him, but for some odd reason it had Hercules chuckling. "You wouldn't think that if you'd seen what I just did. Or, tried to do, I guess."

The girl sat down next to him, and he tried not to seem too jumpy at having her so close. She smirked a bit, as if she understood.

"You tried to fight a demon and failed," she said. "I saw."

Hercules groaned and put his face in his hands. "Awesome."

Instead of laughing, like he expected her to, he felt fingers wrap around his hands and pry them from his face. There was no smile or teasing smirk, only wide eyes and tight lips.

"You seemed to take a nasty fall," she said. "I just wanted to see if you were okay."

Hercules blinked. He'd messed up completely, and the only thing this girl was concerned about was whether or not he was okay? Not the fact that he didn't protect them all from a demon?

She was still staring at him, clearly expecting an answer. Coughing, he nodded. "I'm fine. Bruised ego, I guess, but physically fine." He bit his lip. "I'm Hercules, by the way."

The girl smiled. "I'm Meg."

Hercules wondered if he should shake her hand or something, then realized her fingers still had a loose grip on his hands. He moved them without a second thought and wished he didn't.

"What were you thinking?" Meg asked, not seeming bothered by his crisis about the hands. "Taking on a demon like that." He shrugged.

"It's kinda my destiny. I have to defeat Hades, or I won't be reunited with my family."

Meg's expression clouded at the mention of Hercules' uncle. He supposed everyone was a bit sore on that particular topic, but it made Meg stiffen and look over her shoulder. It made him regret bringing it up.

"Don't you think that's a lost cause?" she asked, twining her fingers together in her lap. "I mean, it's a god we're talking about. No offense, but I don't think you can defeat a god."

Her words felt like a dull slap in the face, like one that was lacking real force, but still stung. She was only verbalizing what he was starting to think himself.

"I have to," he said. "It's my-"

"Please don't say destiny again." Meg looked sick. "It sounds like your actual destiny is to die."

Hercules stood up. This really wasn't helping. "You don't get it, Meg. You just - I have to. I have no choice. And why do you care if I die or not? You just met me."

There was that undefinable thing again, lighting her eyes up. She looked away before he could work it out.

"Fine. Go ahead and fight Hades. Just don't be surprised when it ends with you in a casket."

Hercules gritted his teeth together and stormed away. Somehow, he was now filled with a fierce determination. He could defeat Hades. Zeus wouldn't've given him this task if he couldn't, right? He'd stop Hades, and win his spot on Mount Olympus, and he'd prove Meg wrong.

He'd prove everyone wrong.

John circled back into his apartment, wiping Regina's blood on his pant leg. "Mary?"

A voice came from the bedroom. "Feeding Jemma!"

"Ah." John set his medical bag on the counter and sighed. It had felt somewhat nice to be back in action. He had felt so hopeless the past few days, it didn't hurt to help someone. Although Regina had used her magic once John had stopped the bleeding, he had felt useful again.

John shuffled into the bedroom and gave a small smile to his wife. "How are my two favorite girls?" Mary rolled her eyes and held Jemma out for John to take. He cradled his daughter, a pang of guilt hitting him quickly. "We haven't even talked about what's going to happen to her."

Mary didn't say anything for a few moments. He figured that it would take more than she could give to ease his worry. "I was thinking about that today. If nobody can figure this whole thing out, she needs a place to go."

"Well we can't leave Storybrooke, so anybody in the family is out." John could feel a headache rising. He couldn't bear to think about giving away his child.

Mary stared at Jemma, rocking in John's arms. John watched as she closed her eyes and held in a breath. He knew she was trying not to cry. She had always been the strong one.

"Maybe Mycroft?" he suggested. "He could get her out of this bloody town, at least."

Mary laughed sadly. "I am not giving my firstborn to Mycroft Holmes."

John smiled. "That would be quite ridiculous, wouldn't it?"

They stayed silent a few more moments. Storybrooke was quieter than any place John had ever lived. He could hear no cars going down the streets, no people yelling into phones, nobody hailing cabs, or shouting over the sounds of the streets. It had seemed like such a wonderful place to settle down. And now it was more of a hell than he had ever been in.

"Molly."

John looked up at his wife. "What?"

"Molly should take her. She's smart, and I trust her."

He swallowed. Mary was right, it just seemed horrible that they would have to give her to anyone. "Yeah, we can ask her."

"I just hope she won't have to take us up on her word."

John nodded and stared down at Jemma. He was thinking the same thing.

Sherlock had been pacing his apartment when the knock on the door sounded. Crossing the room, he flung open the door, and relief crashed through his body like a tidal wave when he saw Regina standing on the other side. He barely had time to see how she was doing before she stepped forward and threw her arms around his neck.

"I'm sorry," she murmured into his shoulder.

Holding Regina wasn't a new occurrence for him, but it still made his stomach do an odd flip. It was disgusting, really, how excited and nervous her touch made him. He had never cared about that sort of thing before. However, after that day's demon incident - after the paralyzing fear that had gripped him - having her there, solid and warm, was exactly what he needed. Before he could second guess himself, he tightened his hold on her waist and buried his head into her hair.

"For what?" he asked after a long moment, realizing he'd never responded to her.

Regina moved back so she could look him in the eye. Without her weight settled against him, Sherlock felt like he was adrift.

"For acting recklessly." She dropped her arms and walked into his apartment. It took Sherlock a moment to pull himself together and shut the door. If Regina noticed his apartment was even more of a mess than usual - a side effect of his worry - she didn't say.

"Oh," he said, then internally smacked himself. He sounded like an idiot.

"I know I shouldn't've put myself in danger like that," she continued. "You were right. I have people who need me." She looked over at him then, and he quickly averted his gaze. "So I'm sorry."

Normally Sherlock relished in another person's admission that they were wrong and he had been right all along, but this victory felt hollow. Actually, it didn't feel like a victory at all.

"I'm just glad you're okay," he said truthfully. He paused. "And you are, right? Okay?"

Regina smiled, and Sherlock felt himself relax a bit more. "I'm fine. John patched up what my magic couldn't. He was very helpful."

Sherlock nodded. She'd changed, he realized. She wasn't wearing the same clothes as earlier. It would make sense that she would opt not to stay in her bloodstained clothes, but her coat was different too. If he hadn't been there, he wouldn't have been able to tell she had been seriously injured just an hour ago.

But he had been there, and he doubted he'd ever be able to get the image of her on Granny's counter - bloody and pale and shaking - out of his head, and he really needed to focus on how she looked now. Healthy and unhurt.

"Have there been any other demon sightings?" he asked, shoving those scary thoughts from his head. "I don't think you killed the one from earlier."

"Neither do I," she replied with a frown. "But there hasn't been anything else. I think the demon wasn't meant to cause any real damage. Hades just wanted to distract us."

"And test Hercules," Sherlock added.

"You think so?"

He nodded. "Hades is undoubtedly aware of Hercules' presence in town and his reason for being here. He wanted to see if Hercules actually has the power to defeat him."

Regina rubbed her temple. "And after Hero Boy's marvelous display today, Hades probably thinks he's safe." She sighed and sat down on the couch. Her eyes took on a lost look that told Sherlock she was thinking. After a moment, she spoke again.

"Are we deluding ourselves? We keep saying we'll stop Hades, but will we really?"

A splinter wedged its way into Sherlock's heart. He sat next to her and turned to face her, though she didn't look at him. His fingers twitched in his lap, desperate to reach out and make contact with hers.

"What happened to the optimism you had earlier?" he asked. "You had hope, a real belief that we would win."

"That was before Hercules ran like a coward and I nearly got killed by a demon," she snapped.

He thought he managed to hide his wince from her, but it was clear he failed, because her shoulders dropped. She leaned forward and held her head in her hands. "I'm sorry."

"You keep apologizing," he said, "but you really don't have to."

She stayed in that position for several minutes before straightening and settling back against the cushions. Sherlock studied her, noting the still-distant look in her eyes and the downward curve of her lips.

"I should be spending time with Henry," she said. "I could lose him in a couple of days. What kind of mother am I if I don't spend these last moments with him?"

"An excellent one, because you're looking for a way to save him," Sherlock said firmly. Regina looked at him, her expression unreadable.

"You know," she said. "When he first found out I was the Evil Queen, he hated me."

This was not surprising, considering how the book Henry read so much portrayed Regina. But it still hurt Sherlock on her behalf.

"I'm sure he didn't really."

She smiled, a sardonic kind of grin. "He told me over and over how I wasn't his mother, how I didn't really love him. He believed that because I was the Evil Queen, I was incapable of love." A tear skidded down her cheek, making her skin shine. "I almost wish that were true. Maybe then I wouldn't be in constant pain."

Sherlock didn't know what to say. Her words were so raw, filled with a deep history he'd only scratched the surface of. Her pain was… familiar, he realized.

"I used to tell people I was a high-functioning sociopath," he stated. Regina's eyebrows furrowed. "I used to think it was true. All throughout my childhood and well into my adult life, I was the freak. The misfit, the abnormality. People called me a psychopath, and there was little I could do to change it, so I took charge and gave myself my own title."

Regina was watching him closely, and he had to look away. The air between them felt thick, this conversation the most intimate one they'd ever had.

"I used to despise human emotion," he continued. "I thought it was a chemical defect, a distraction. I liked to think I couldn't feel anything. And then I met John, and I realized it was precisely the opposite."

"He made you feel," she said softly. Sherlock nodded.

"There are times when I wish he didn't. The moment when I jumped off the roof certainly comes to mind." He forced himself to look up at her, and his throat caught at the open, understanding look in her eyes. "But then I think of how happy his friendship has made me. How much brighter my life has been since he came into it, and I just know I wouldn't want to change a thing."

A silence stretched between them as they simply stared at each other. Her eyes were shining, but they weren't sad. And that was enough for him.

"Thank you," she said. "For telling me that." She smiled, and this time it was true. "It means a lot that you trust me."

The pleasant, warm feeling that had settled over Sherlock dissipated in an instant. John's words from the day before sounded in his mind, loud and insistent. "She deserves to know."

The words were on the tip of his tongue. "Regina, I'm on Hades' list." He would say them and take the consequences, even if she hated him.

Hated him? The thought made his stomach twist. There was a time when she had hated him, and he didn't want to go back to it. The mere thought of her eyes filling with fury and disgust made him sick. The two of them had come such a long way, and quite honestly, she'd awakened… something inside him. He hadn't stopped long enough to ponder it, but now it nipped at his brain, insisting to be examined.

Regina was staring at him still, her expression turning inquisitive. And that was another thing. No one had ever looked at him like Regina had just a few minutes ago, with such understanding and warmth. It sent shivers down his spine and electrified his skin.

"You're welcome," he choked out. His failed confession sank back into his mouth, tasting bitter.

She was still looking at him curiously, but she softened nonetheless. She clapped her hands together and stood up.

"Alright. Let's stop this son of a bitch."

Molly pursed her lips and dripped some acid onto the hat in front of her. She'd been focused on her project most of the day, trying to come up with scientific reasoning behind the magic that Jefferson had given her. Jefferson. She had tried, to no avail, to block him from her mind. It felt nice being back in the lab, not wrapped up in whatever it was that she and Jefferson may have had.

"You've had a scowl on all day," Lestrade said from behind her. He had walked in earlier, two cups of coffee in hand. She hadn't told him about the night before, about anything really. "See? I can do the whole deduction thing, too. I think you're upset about something." He raised his cup to her, self-righteously.

Molly rolled her eyes. "An absolute genius."

"Oh, don't give me that." Lestrade walked up to the table and stared down at the hat. "Have you found anything new?"

Molly tilted her head down. "It doesn't react well to certain chemicals. And that's not just the fabric, it seems that the magic isn't just coated on top. But it isn't as if something has seeped in, either. When I studied the clothing that had come in contact with spells and things, it seemed to have been different than this."

Lestrade raised his eyebrows, clearly not understanding.

Molly stepped back to face him. "Okay, so you know how when you go camping, your clothes smell like campfire even days after you get home?"

He nodded.

"I tested Regina's clothes today, and that's like what had happened. It's like the magic had left residue, the kind that would come from smoke. But this," she turned to the hat, "is different. It's as if the fabric was laced with magic, like it's a part of the hats makeup. An ingredient, not a side effect."

"So what does that mean?" Lestrade took a sip of his coffee.

Molly sighed. "No clue."

A knock came on the door and within a second, John and Mary were inside the lab, both looking grim. Molly ran up to greet baby Jemma in Mary's arms.

"She gets bigger every day, doesn't she?"

Mary smiled. "She really does. It's hard to notice in that apartment, but she's grown."

Molly turned to face the pale John. "Is everything alright?"

John took a breath and nodded. "We actually came to talk to you about her."

Molly cocked her head, confused. "About Jemma? Is it something medical?"

Mary laughed. "No, no, she's perfect."

"We know that everyone's been trying to find a way to stop Hades and all," John began, crossing his arms. "But we wanted to make arrangements. Just in case…" he trailed off.

Molly nodded, understanding. "Is this what I think it is?"

Mary smiled sadly. "If things turn out the way they're looking now, we wanted to make sure that Jemma had a good guardian to go to. I know it's asking an incredible amount, but we really can't imagine her in better arms than yours, Molly."

Molly swallowed. "Of course."

"I can make a list of everything we want her to know about us, about how to take after her, anything you need really," Mary said, clearly trying to keep herself from crying.

"And you would have access to all of our funds, of course, anything you would need to help." John's lips curled in, and his eyes became glassy.

"Right now, why don't you two focus on finding a way to stay here? If it comes down to it, I'd be more than happy to take her." She tried to say it as lovingly as possible. She couldn't stand the thought of her two good friends leaving, not after everything they'd been through together, but she knew that she would do anything for them and their daughter.

Mary nodded. "Thank you, Molly."

She hugged the both of them, trying not to cry herself.

Suddenly, a cough came from behind. She turned around to see Lestrade crossing his arms. "You two really thought Molly would be a better candidate than me?"

John laughed. "Well…"

"Yeah, yeah, I see how it is."

Molly was thankful for the laugh. If things turned out the way they were looking, she knew there wouldn't be time for good memories for a while.

"Meg, Meg, Meg," Hades lamented. "This is just too easy. I thought this would be entertaining for Zeus' sake."

"Sorry this is so boring for you," she replied in monotone.

Hades draped himself over the park bench. Everywhere he sat seemed to turn into a throne. "This kid is never going to beat me."

Meg laughed. "Sure."

Hades perked up. "What do you mean? Why the sass?"

Meg rolled her eyes. "Look, this kid is determined, I'm not say he's going to win, but you're in for a fight."

"Oh please, that little stick of a boy has nothing on me."

Meg shrugged. "Even so, you know who his dad is, I'd bet Zeus would throw down some help if it came to it. I'm sure he'd do anything to reconnect with his son."

Hades narrowed his eyes. "Well then I'm just going to have to take the god out of him, aren't I?"

Meg looked up. "What? You can't even do that, there's no way he would give that up. He's honorable, Hades." She lowered voice. "Unlike you."

The fire on his head turned the perfect hue of blue. "What was that?"

"Nothing, nothing." She was getting tired of egging him on. "I'm just saying, he's a better person than you. He wouldn't give up his strength. This town is depending on him, even if he doesn't have much of a chance."

A smile curled on Hades' lips. "Don't look now, but seems like someone has a little crush."

Meg forced herself not to blush. "I don't like him like that."

"Remember the last time you fell in love, sweetheart? Some people will do whatever it takes to save someone they care about."

Meg looked up at him, about to retort, to get angry, but saw that he wasn't looking at her. He was looking ahead, thinking. His face became bright, like he had come up with an idea. "I know just what to do."

"Where's Snow?" Regina asked as she walked into the Charmings' apartment. She'd just left Sherlock's after realizing they still had no leads for how to stop Hades. The frustration was getting to her again, and she didn't want Sherlock to notice. Of course, he probably had, because he was Sherlock, but Regina could fool herself for now.

"With Emma," Charming replied, turning away from the sink. "She just found out about Henry, and… she's not taking it well."

Regina closed her eyes. She'd forgotten to tell Emma about Henry. How could she do that? While at first she had rejected Emma's role as Henry's mother, she'd come to terms with it and was perfectly happy with co-parenting with the other woman. But with all the confusion and uncertainty of the last few days, it had slipped her mind.

"I'm not surprised," she said. Charming flashed her a sympathetic look, which she shook off. "Why aren't you over there?"

"I'm going as soon as Neal wakes up from his nap. You're welcome to come, since Henry and Roland are there too." He paused, putting a few plates away. "I actually thought you were already there. But, I guess not."

She walked over and sat down at the counter. "I was with Sherlock."

Charming chuckled. "Right, Sherlock. I should have known."

Regina straightened. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's just, you've been spending a lot of time with him," he said with a shrug. "Kind of interesting, considering how you hated him when he first arrived."

"What? I didn't hate him."

She wondered how she managed to say that with a straight face. Charming merely raised an eyebrow. He was there when Sherlock and John first came into town. There was no doubt he remembered the less-than-friendly interaction.

And Regina remembered it as well, all too well. It was startling to see how far they'd come. That day, she wanted nothing more than for him to leave. Now, she couldn't imagine her life without him. Somehow, he'd transformed from an irritating thorn in her side to a surprisingly caring friend. He reminded her of herself, especially after the conversation they'd had earlier. The gentleness of his voice, the brightness in his eyes… it left her breathless. Just thinking about it now made her smile.

Charming cleared his throat. She jumped and realized he'd caught her smile. He was giving her a knowing look now, and she considered walking out.

"What?" she snapped, trying to recall her haughty queen voice. It'd been ages since she'd used it properly, and Charming knew it. She waited for his response, knowing it would be invasive and annoying. But instead, he surprised her.

"Nothing." He turned back to putting the dishes away, though not without glancing at her over his shoulder every now and then. He was letting her decide whether or not to talk, she realized. It was sweet, really. She could easily drop the subject and move on if she wanted, and he wouldn't object. For a few minutes, the kitchen was silent.

"I was thinking about Sherlock," she mumbled, surprising herself. As soon as the words were out though, she realized she actually did want to talk. Maybe it would sort out her mess of emotions.

"I thought as much," Charming said, halting his task once more. He leaned against the opposite counter and crossed his arms. "You like him."

"Well of course I do," she said automatically. "He's my friend."

Charming nodded. "Right."

"He is."

"I wasn't doubting it."

Regina fell silent. Sherlock was her friend. Her friend who sometimes held her hand. Her friend who nearly fell apart when she almost died. Her friend who brought her back to the land of the living, who made her smile again, who made her warm and happy…

"How soon," she started, her voice a bit shaky, "is it acceptable to develop… feelings for someone after you've - after your-"

"After you've lost someone you love?" Charming finished gently. She nodded, staring at the countertop. "Do you think you have feelings for Sherlock?"

Hearing the words aloud gave them a weight Regina hadn't attributed to them yet. She'd barely let herself consider it, but it was getting harder and harder to deny.

"How soon?" she pressed.

She heard Charming sigh. "I don't know, Regina. I don't think there's a specific timeline you have to follow. What I do know is that Robin would want you to be happy. And if Sherlock makes you happy…"

"It doesn't matter," she said. "Even if I do have - feelings for him, he probably doesn't have any for me. So it's pointless."

"How do you know he doesn't?"

"Because he doesn't!" She took a deep breath. "It's fine. Whatever I'm feeling right now, it'll go away eventually. I'll get over it."

She looked up to see him giving her a doubtful look. That made sense. The words sounded fake to her too.

A/N: So sorry about the long wait, guys! Hopefully the next one will be up much sooner. If you liked this chapter, please let us know! =)