✖️✖️✖️✖️

Astrid sighed and shifted somewhat where she still sat against the clock, facing Hades who began, "Oh, come on. All you need to do is choose three of your friends to stay here. Carve their name. What's the problem? Is it the chisel? So unwieldy for those shackles around your hands, hmm?"

Astrid simply glared up at the god and tossed aside the chisel, letting out, "I'm not bloody doing it. I won't betray my family."

Hades smirked a little and replied, "I must say... I'm not angry. I'm disappointed." He stepped back over to the girl and slightly bent over to be face to face with her. "On second thought... I am angry. I guess it's off to solitary."

Hades grabbed her hair roughly and yanked her to her feet as Astrid let out a pained groan, starting to walk her over towards the green river. "Now, listen carefully. This is the River of Lost Souls. Touch it and it will make you lost. Reducing you to a mindless, tormented husk. So please, keep all arms and hands inside the boat."

Hades pushed Astrid inside of a row boat and set her adrift down the green river.

***

Zephyr held up an arrow and spoke up, "Found more arrows."

Robin sighed as he descended down the stairs inside of the Blanchard apartment and commented, "You do not want to see what that hell dog did upstairs."

"So, we think we're ready?" Emma spoke up just as Gold suddenly walked inside of the apartment and moved over to them and asked, "What are you doing?"

Hook answered towards the Dark One in confusion, "We're gonna get Astrid. What's it bloody look like?"

Peter nodded and explained further, "We know Hades will have Astrid in some sort of isolation. Meg told us there's an entrance nearby."

"So all forty-five of you are gonna slip down into the deepest level of detention in the Underworld?" Gold remarked before adding, "Hades knows you're here. He'll have put up barriers to keep the living out of all the places he doesn't want us going. You walk into his domain, you'll all be puffs of dust."

"And I all ready made a plan for that, brother," Peter assured, making the group look over at him in slight confusion. "I never fail, after all."

"What are you planning?" Gold inquired in slight curiosity.

"Riley, Astrid's best friend from Berk, is down here- along with Hiccup- They'll help us." Peter explained, "We need the assistance of a helpful dead person, so Hook and I will go retrieve them. I can extend their aura, if you will, do that two living souls can get through Hades' barrier."

Gold nodded in understanding of the plan and then replied, "And if they won't help, I know who will."

Peter nodded in thanks while Emma started in confusion towards Gold, "Wait a minute. Yesterday, you hid in your shop. Today, you're gonna help lead the charge to find the girl who you seem to hate the most?"

Gold scowled a little, saying, "I don't hate Astrid. She's actually saved my life more than once, more than I'd care to admit. And I-I realized that if I don't step in, we are never gonna get home, and I want very much to get home to my wife."

Hook slowly nodded before he asked, "So, how do we get them to loan their aura so we can confront the God of the Underworld himself?"

Peter smirked, lifting one eyebrow in amusement, as he commented, "Leave that to me, Captain. My wife's former best friend owes me."

***

Peter and Hook stood on the other side of the street as he watched Hiccup and Riley play with their dragons, Toothless and Windshear.

The two approached the two siblings as Peter spoke up towards Riley first, "So, you're the one who killed me."

Riley shared a wary look with her brother while Hook spoke up, "We need your help. We're here to rescue Astrid."

Hiccup widened his eyes somewhat and inquired, "Astrid is here? Where? H-How?"

Peter moved his hands against his hips where his wife's twin swords were strapped and admitted, "She sacrificed her life to save everyone. Now, we're here to save her. And if you ever cared about my wife, then you'll help us."

Hiccup narrowed his green eyes before he asked, "Help how? Where is she down here?"

"Hades has taken a particular interest in her and has her locked in solitary." Hook answered, "Will you bloody help us or not?"

"No. Don't get me wrong, Astrid was my best friend and I would've done anything for her..." Hiccup sighed with a shake of his head, "But I will not go against Hades and risk myself or my sister's lives down here-- or be brought down somewhere even worse."

Peter glared somewhat as he threatened slightly, "Your sister here owes me for killing me and hurting Astrid like that. This is the least one of you can do for us."

"To be fair, she helped kill my brother, so I think we're even," Riley shrugged.

Hiccup placed a hand on his sister's arm to stop her as he spoke up, "Astrid didn't kill me. I sacrificed myself to save her. She's a good person, the best even. But Hades is by far the worst person I've ever met. We can't go against him. I'm sorry. You have to find some other dead person."

Hook sighed, "Like bloody who?"

"How about your ex-lover, Captain?" Gold spoke up from behind them with his ex-wife beside him.

Hook slightly widened his eyes some as he let out, "Milah?"

***

"Now, I want you to think about why you're here." Hades began once Astrid was chained in the air after her trip down the River of Souls.

"You tried to escape. You freed another prisoner. You refuse to do what I ask, and do you know the most important reason?" He continued, circling around the cage-like floor underneath her.

Astrid let out in a strained voice, "I couldn't begin to guess."

Hades stopped and pointed slightly at her, saying, "Hope. You and your colleagues brought contraband, hope, into my world, and that is strictly forbidden. And despite some... creative beatings, I still see hope in your eyes. Now, I would like that to be gone before you reach the water."

The chain holding Astrid up began lowering her slowly down towards the green river. "You have interfered with my carefully cultivated existence, so..." He added, stepping close to her face, "I am going to hurt you. Then I'm going to collect your friends and hurt them. So there's going to be no one left to save you."

Hades hair lit up in blue flames while he finished, "Feel free... to go mad."

Astrid spit blood in his face and grunted some more, letting out, "Good... w-will always win..."

Hades scowled and turned around, wiping the blood off of his face, before he walked away and left her alone.

***

Hook held Emma's hand in his as Peter, Emma, and he stood in front of Milah and Rumple.

"So, you've been with my former lover... and my son? Is that right?" Milah spoke up towards Emma who nervously glanced over at Hook before replying, "Huh."

"I'm sure we're gonna laugh ourselves sick about all this one day." Gold spoke up, "I suggest you follow me before this gets even more awkward. Only one of you can come with Milah and myself."

Peter was stopped by Emma who spoke up, "Astrid's my sister. Let me."

"Love, she's like a daughter to me. It should be me to go." Hook also began towards his girlfriend.

Peter rolled his eyes some and remarked, "No offense, but you're not her only father. But I am her husband. It should be me to get her."

Hook sighed, "She sacrificed herself for me over and over again and is in this whole mess because of myself. I owe her. And I will not bloody fail Astrid again. You can think whatever you want about it, but she is my daughter, and I'm going."

Emma nodded in understanding and kissed him on the lips before she told him, "Just bring her back. And you come back, too."

Hook nodded, saying, "Aye. I promise, love."

Peter removed his wife's swords from the scabbards strapped on his hips and held them out towards the pirate. "Here. You should be the one to return these to her."

Hook looked over at him and understood what he meant. Peter knew the significance of the swords, after all, and he knew that Hook would definitely bring Astrid home to her family. He didn't doubt it one bit.

The one handed pirate took the twin swords and strapped them on his own sides before telling Peter, "Thank you."

Peter nodded and replied, "You're welcome. Now, enough of this feelings moment and go."

Hook smirked a little at him just as Emma spoke up towards Milah, "Hang on. Milah... thank you so much. And... there's something you should know. Your son, Baelfire... when I was on my way down here on the River, I had sort of a vision of him. I think he talked to me."

Milah froze, saying, "What did he say?"

"He said that he moved on. And that he was happy." Emma admitted, "Whatever he had to resolve... he did it."

Milah nodded and gave her a soft smile before she replied, "Thank you. Thank you so much."

"You three should leave now. You know, before this gets even more awkward," Peter spoke up in slight amusement before adding in a serious tone, "Good luck."

***

Hook followed beside Gold and Milah as he asked in confusion, "The way in is here? So, what, the gates of Hell are in Swan's house?"

"As was the Stone of Excalibur," Gold remarked, "You have a knack for targeting real estate with hidden value."

The three entered to find two baby cradles with blue, white, and even red glass unicorns strung above the two cradles. They were Emma's and Astrid's baby cradles.

Some stuffed animals were sitting on the floor underneath the cradles while Hook glanced over at the locked door. "Basement door?"

"Basement door," Gold nodded.

Hook sighed and moved over to the said door and unlocked it while opening it. He stuck a hand out but stopped when a magical shield-like barrier stopped him.

"Aye. It's a barrier, all right." The said one-handed pirate spoke up, "So, what is she going to do?"

"Joining hands will be fine." Gold simply commented as the three joined hands with Milah leading them inside of the basement to find them now going down into Hell.

"It worked." Hook started with Gold saying, "Indeed. One step closer to Hell."

The three of them walked deeper into the said Underworld while the door above them closed by itself.

Four year old Astrid sat on the stairs and watched in between the banister's railing at her favorite pirate and Freya, her mother, arguing.

"She's just a kid!" Hook argued towards the woman in front of her, "You push her too hard."

"I'm training her to be not afraid, to be the fiercest warrior and Viking of the land." Freya reminded him.

"She's your ." Hook continued, "And she deserves better than to be just treated as a warrior. She deserves at least some days to be a kid."

"That's where you're wrong, Captain. It's a sign of weakness. is a weakness." Freya remarked.

Hook scoffed, "No. Love isn't weakness. It's strength, and I love that kid. She's the closest thing I have to a daughter, and I will continue to fight for . No matter what."

"The spell's gone. We'll be able to pass through on our own now." Gold spoke up once the three of them had let each other's hands go. "Thank you, Milah. You can run back to protecting the dead children."

Hook nodded but then glanced around, starting, "I hear water this way."

"That would be the River of Lost Souls." Milah explained, "We can take it to where Hades will have your daughter, Killian."

Hook simply looked at the woman in surprise.

"I'm sorry, uh, we can take it? If you think you can get Astrid back for the pirate, I doubt he's gonna swap the blonde for the dead woman." Gold remarked.

"You might be dark, but sometimes you're still an idiot, Rumple." Milah spoke towards him. "I have my reasons. Let me come with you."

Hook slowly nodded before letting out, "Okay."

Four year old Astrid swung her sword at a tree angrily multiple times before she dropped the blade and sat down underneath the tree, her small back against the bark.

She pulled her small legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them while she rested her chin on top of her knees, slightly breathless.

"You okay, lass?" Hook suddenly spoke up once he approached the four year old and knelt in front of her. "What's the matter?"

Astrid looked up at her father figure, tears in her blue eyes. "Where is my papa really at, Killi? Doesn't he bloody love mama and- and me?"

Hook's eyes softened at the brokenness in the four year old's voice and pulled her into a reassuring embrace, moving one hand on the back of her head. "I don't know why he left, but... I will never leave you, Kid."

Astrid sniffled and looked up at him, holding up her pinkie. "Promise?"

Hook smiled and interlocked his pinkie with hers and assured, "Aye, AJ... I promise."

Hook looked out of the boat the three were currently riding in and glanced at the green river that held the lost souls.

"I hope this boat you found doesn't spring a leak," Hook remarked towards the Dark One.

Gold smirked a little, saying, "This boat is the best thing we could have hoped to find. After we pick up the former Viking, it will take us all the way home."

The boat suddenly stopped at a nearby deck as Hook stood up and looked forward in determination. "This is it. My daughter's down there. I feel it." He glanced down at the blue sapphire ring on one of his fingers and looked back up.

Gold continued to remain seated inside of the boat, saying, "I'm not leaving the boat. It's too valuable. You're capable of getting Astrid on your own, I'm sure."

Milah narrowed her eyes in suspicion towards her ex-husband and shook her head before she commented, "If he's not moving, I'm not, either. If he tries to steal this thing, I'll give a shout."

"Aye." Hook nodded and left the two of them alone and ran into a big cave and noticed a beaten Astrid tied in thick chains and was slowly being lowered down into the River of Lost Souls. "AJ!"

The immortal eighteen year old girl continued to be lowered closer towards the green river. "Astrid! Kid!"

The pirate looked around before noticing a narrow beam leading to the platform where his daughter was and stepped onto the beam carefully. "Hang on! I'm coming for you, AJ!"

Hook began to make his way across the beam and nearly slipped, but he was able to regain his balance and continue forward.

Just as Astrid was about to fall into the green water, Hook suddenly grabbed her and pulled her into a tight, fatherly embrace.

Astrid stirred somewhat, grunting in pain a little. "Dad...?"

"Hey, hey, you're okay. I got you, AJ. I got you!" Hook assured the girl, kissing the top of her head. "I'm right right here."

His heart did break at his daughter's current state, at her injuries.

Astrid breathed in sharply, letting out, "I told you to let me go. You shouldn't be here. Nobody should."

"I made a promise long ago that I will continue to fight for you, Kid... as I also promised you that I would never leave you." Hook told her, helping the girl to her feet carefully.

Astrid smiled a little and hugged her adopted father, murmuring, "I love you."

"I love you, too, AJ." Hook smiled back.

***

Hook carried Astrid on his back as they walked through the tunnel back to the dock until they heard Gold yell, "Hades!"

Astrid jumped down from the pirate's back and both ran to where Gold was to find no Milah or a boat anymore.

The Dark One faced the two of them, holding his hand as he let out, "I tried to stop him. He blew my magic right back at me. Milah... I couldn't stop it. She's gone."

Hook froze some. "Milah."

Astrid widened her eyes and quickly looked over at her father figure and repeated slightly, "Milah? Your former love? She was here?"

Hook nodded, saying, "Aye. She helped us get to you. Hades has much to answer for."

Gold faced the River of Lost Souls where Milah had fallen in and let out, "Indeed he does."

***

Astrid was still being held up Hook while Gold removed the magical cuffs off her wrists. She now had her power back.

Suddenly, everyone rushed inside of the large house and noticed Astrid who was still covered in blood.

"Astrid!" Snow and David exclaimed.

Henry smiled, adding, "Good job, Hook."

Snow's face fell at her daughter's injuries and began, "Oh, look at you." She moved her concerned hands and cupped Astrid's face, looking her over.

Astrid smiled some, assuring, "I'll be all right."

Peter stepped out from the group and rushed over to his wife as she also buried herself in his relieved embrace, the two sharing a long kiss.

Peter rested his forehead against hers, cupping his hands against the sides of her neck. "You're never leaving me again, love." He breathed out.

Astrid kept her smile and kissed her husband again but was interrupted by a familiar voice, "Mommy!"

"Zep!" Astrid grinned even more and turned to face her five year old son and rushed over to him, falling on her knees in front of him and hugged Zephyr tightly.

Zephyr cried happily, holding onto his mother even more, "I missed you."

"Not as much I've missed you, Kiddo," Astrid quietly laughed in relief, picking him up once she stood back up but still held the boy in her arms.

Robin spoke up, "How did you do it?"

"The Crocodile here got us in. He got us help. And he poofed is back here." Hook explained, "He even had a boat to get us all back home, but it's bloody gone."

"What happened?" David asked.

Peter wrapped an arm around his wife's back and pulled her close to him, kissing the side of her head while also winking a bit at their son.

"Hades attacked. We lost the boat and... we lost a friend." Hook continued to explain in sadness now.

Astrid placed her son back on the floor and looked over at Gold, speaking up, "I hear you bloody took away my sacrifice."

Everyone now watched the interaction between Gold and Astrid who continued, "Everything I did to save my family-- all went to give you back your power. I should kill you."

Gold actually looked guilty for a brief millisecond but nodded some, "Acknowledged."

"But..." Astrid sighed, glancing over at her husband and then the rest of her family and back at Gold, "You helped get me out of there, so I should say-"

"Thank you. No need." Gold shrugged.

"Stay of execution." Astrid finished, "We're even-- for now." She stepped even closer to him and smirked before she turned around, yet instead, she punched him rather hard in his jaw. "That's for being an idiot of a brother in-law."