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INDIANA JONES
lxxvii. HOW TO DESTROY A GOD
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PRESENT
UNDERWORLD
INDIANA JONES WAS SCARED out of her damn mind. Hades's threat continued to echo through her mind like song lyrics. It was a tune she despised just as much as she hated the Devil himself. The hatred seemed to intensify if that was possible as the days flew by. Throughout this process, Indiana also learned to detest isolation altogether.
It wasn't that she did not want to leave and assist her friends and her boyfriend of God knows how many years. That wasn't the case at all. As a matter of fact, Indiana had to stop herself from marching straight out the front door to help them. If anything, she was being held in her home against her will.
The idea of locking Indiana in her apartment like a caged animal was Peter's idea, which didn't really surprise anyone, even after all these years. It gave her memories she wasn't too fond of to say the least.
"Let me out!" Indiana demanded, naturally disliking being stuck in a net. She tried to break free while the Lost Boys moved her net from the tree. "Just who do you think you are?"
The boy looked up at her with a sinisterly smirk. "Peter. Peter Pan."
Peter didn't want Indiana to get hurt.
Neither did Killian.
Or Regina. Or Emma. Or David. Or Henry.
In fact, it seemed as though that everyone was on board with the concept of locking Indiana Jones away in her tiny home. Together, Peter, Regina, and Emma concocted a spell that would keep Indiana safe in her apartment until things settled down. No one could get in and no one could get out.
Truly, it was a nightmare itself.
Indiana would have made use of Hades's old gift that gave her the ability to watch over her friends in Storybrooke, but it seemed that the God of the Underworld had taken it away right under her nose. She wasn't surprised, though.
The unknown was easily one of the scariest things Indiana had ever faced. Not knowing what was happening in the world just outside her door allowed fear to bubble up from within her. She had absolutely no clue as to what was going on, and that was what scared her the most.
She hadn't had any contact with the outside world in days. Indiana had lost count. All she knew was that when she heard a rapping noise against her door, curiosity was her first response. She was more than eager to run over and open the door. Had she been in a different situation, Indiana was sure she'd react differently - starting with keeping a can of pepper spray within arm's reach.
Her legs moved faster than her judgement as she sprinted in the door's direction. Indiana was practically breathless by the time she opened the door to the last person she was expecting. Well, if she was being honest, Indiana had no idea what exactly she was expecting in the first place.
"Killian," whimpered Indiana as she greeted him. Rather than spitting out every question she had in her head or yelling at him for letting their friends lock her up, Indiana just reached out and hugged her older brother as tightly as humanly possible.
When Indiana pulled away from her brother, Killian looked at her with a grave look on his face. Sorrow was written in the whites of his eyes as he requested, "Can I come in, baby sister?"
A vigorous nod came from her as they delved further into Indiana's apartment, where he, then, explained everything. From Zelena and Hades's relationship and their past, to Rumplestiltskin kidnapping Zelena, to the death of Prince James, to Belle French (who was also in the Underworld) being in a coma... Killian told Indiana everything.
Indiana had been so eager to hear everything that she had been missing, yet she hardly blinked as she absorbed this new information. It was as though a weight had been taken off of her shoulders, yet she still remained as stiff as a wooden board.
In fact, the first thing Indiana said after the long hour and a half of Killian rambling on was, "Are you okay?"
Killian scoffed. "Really? That's all you have to say... after all that?" he questioned. Disbelief was laced in his voice. It was then when he realized that the Underworld really did a number on Indiana. It changed her in ways unimaginable. Killian was practically fearful to ask of her what she'd experienced down in Hell. "No questions? Not even about Peter?"
Licking her lips, Indiana shifted her gaze to the floor. "If he's not busy being an idiot, then he'll be fine. I know he will," she said, almost forcing the words out.
If anything, Indiana desired to scream and cry. Once again, she didn't get her proper goodbye all because the fates had it out for her. She didn't even have a chance to tell Peter what she wanted him to know before they were separated for good.
"Peter, before you go," Indiana started after he kissed the top of her head and started to leave, "um... if we don't see each other, I just--"
"Shh," Peter interrupted. "I don't want to hear any of it. We will be reunited as always. I promise you that."
Indiana sighed. "But is it a promise you'll be able to keep?" she mumbled.
"What was that?"
"I said," Indiana began, clearing her throat. "Come back to me."
He never did.
Killian eyed her suspiciously, but before he could say anything, a thought popped into Indiana's head. "Wait," she suddenly said, "why are you still here if everyone left? I thought—"
"The plan originally was to bring me back, yes, but... things changed," Killian emotionlessly answered. Indiana gave him a smile of sympathy, but she knew that if she were to pester him about the topic, he would stick his hook in her eye.
The brother-sister pair sat in solemn silence. They each sympathized for one another. They felt sorry for each other. They had been through so much, just to end up in the last place either of them dreamt of: the Underworld. It was almost ironic. The Jones siblings truly were immortal in the sense that they truly were never dead. Even in the Underworld, they ran away from death.
Funny how things work out in the end.
Eventually, Killian and Indiana Jones made their way over to the Blind Witch's Diner (which was still Granny's Diner in Indiana's heart). Upon their arrival, the duo ordered a cup of coffee and sat together in silence, mourning each other's history of recent bad luck.
Indiana had been so caught up in her thoughts that she hadn't even noticed the unfamiliar man in armor waltz into the Diner. "What I want to know is what this damned place is!" the man had shouted.
"I think that's quite obvious, Your Majesty," Killian's voice came. Indiana snapped her head upward, suddenly paying attention again. Her eyes trailed over to her brother standing up, strolling toward the stranger. Surely, Indiana had seen him in Storybrooke through Hades's gift -- his name just wasn't coming to mind.
With impeccable speed, the stranger retrieved a piece of silverware and grabbed the Sailor. He threw him against the wall angrily. "You got lucky the last time we met," the stranger hissed. "Now, you tell me where I am or I run you through."
Rolling her eyes, Indiana stood up and effortlessly grabbed the man's wrist, twisting it behind his back. "Drop my brother before I drop you," Indiana snapped. Before he could do anything, she pushed him to the side, dusting her hands off casually. "Besides, you can't kill a dead man, I'm afraid."
The man's face dropped. "No..." he trailed off. "But I had so much left to do."
"That makes three of us," Killian snapped. "I promised someone that I would move on from this place, but I still bloody can't, so I need to know what the hell is going on up in Storybrooke." At this point, Killian was beginning to back the stranger up into a corner.
"That makes two of us," Indiana mocked under her breath.
"Who killed you!?" Killian demanded as the stranger started to scream angrily in denial. It appeared that he wasn't getting the fact that he was dead. "Denial, grief, anger. Can we just get to acceptance? Who killed you!?"
"He said his name was Hades," the stranger said after a moment.
Killian and Indiana exchanged glances that could only be read by someone related to them. "Did you see Emma and the others?" Indiana queried. "Have they any idea how to stop him?"
"I'm sorry, who are you?" the stranger asked.
"I could ask the same thing, Tin Man," Indiana teased. The man stared at Indiana for a moment until his eyes widened with shock.
"You..." he trailed off, anger bubbling inside of him. "I know you. I recognize your face. You caused havoc in my kingdom for months!"
Indiana furrowed her eyebrows. Killian pinched the bridge of his nose. "King Arthur, my baby sister. Indiana, King Arthur," he quickly introduced the two.
"Ohh," Indiana sang. "I remember you. You tried to have your men kill me!"
"As if that's anything new, baby sister," Killian said. He sighed and turned back to Arthur before he could snap at the girl. "Now, as Indie was saying, have they any idea how to stop him?"
"Haven't you learned anything?" the Blind Witch queried from the counter. "I mean, really! After all this time! Hades never reveals his weakness."
"You know what?" Killian started to yell. Then, he bit his tongue as he realized something. "You're right."
"Hmm..." the Blind Witch hummed, content.
"Hades protected his secrets well," Killian started. "But now, now he's not here... so, Your Majesty, how would you like to go on another quest?"
"Hey, what about me?"
"Pfft... With you? Not a chance," Arthur laughed, him and Killian ignoring Indiana's little comment.
"Sounds good to me," Indiana mumbled. She really never got off on the right foot with most people, especially those of royalty.
"Have you got any idea why you're down here, mate..." Killian started. "...and not up in some blissful afterlife or fiery hell? It's because you are a terrible king with loads of unfinished business. When you leave here, you're either going to the better place or a far, far worse place."
Gulping loudly, King Arthur mumbled, "I think I prefer the first option." He paused. "If I say 'yes,' what exactly are we questing for?"
"An answer to defeating Hades," Killian answered. "And you can call it my—"
"Ahem."
Killian glanced over at Indiana. "—Our holy grail."
"Thank you."
➖➖➖
"Sounds like Hades was an even worse king than I was," Arthur commented as the trio dug around the abandoned lair that once belonged to the devil. He let out a sigh, tossing something to the side. "What exactly is this holy grail we're looking for?"
"It's pages from a storybook," Killian explained as Indiana snooped around, keeping out of the conversation for once. "I know it doesn't sound like much, but Hades went to great lengths to keep them from us. And I think these pages can tell us his weakness. All we have to do is find them."
"But there's nothing here!" Arthur exclaimed, becoming more frustrated by the second. The lair was abandoned. There was nothing left for them to salvage. "Maybe you were wrong about this."
"I can't be wrong!" Killian snapped. "Hades is out there now, threatening Emma, and I bloody well need to find a way to save her!"
"Killian—"
"No, Indie! You don't get it!" Killian argued.
Indiana snorted. "I don't get it? That's a load of shit, Killian," she spat. "Maybe if you just pulled your head out of your ass, you'd realize that I'm fucking terrified. Peter is out there without anyone to keep him from going dark again. He has no one. So don't act like you're the only person going through shit, Killian, because you're not!"
Silence filled the room after Killian mumbled a quiet, "Sorry."
Then, King Arthur spoke up. "I get it now. This is all about a woman."
"Aye... a woman who has risked everything for me, a woman who made me promise that I would move on and I can't do that – not while she's still in danger," Killian cried out. He was on the verge of tears. "Now, please. Come on, you--you were a king once. Where did you hide your treasure?"
Arthur moved to what acted as Hades's throne. "The most important stuff I had in a place no one would ever dare touch," he explained while feeling around. "My throne."
After a few moments, the pages appeared before them.
"Well, would you look at that..." Arthur said, handing them to Killian. "Your Holy Grail."
"We have to get this to them," Indiana told her brother, skimming the lines of the pages quickly over his shoulders.
"What have you found?" queried Arthur.
"The one thing they've been searching for," Indiana declared, looking back at the King. "How to destroy a God."
➖➖➖
The wind howled in the trio's ears as they reentered the popular Diner for the second time that day. The first person to speak was the Blind Witch, who said something along the lines of a bromance. Indiana called bullshit, though. She saw a better bromance between Killian and Peter.
But she wasn't going to say anything to the Witch who often cooked for her.
"We're here for her," Killian eventually revealed, pointing at the last person Indiana wanted to speak to.
"Oh, back up," Cruella's voice quacked. She paused, her eyes widening with curiosity as she placed her martini down. "Seriously, back up! Let me take a gander at this handsome new addition to the Underworld."
"Sorry, Cruella, but these two don't have any Mommy kinks for you to fulfill," Indiana commented. Killian held his hand in front of Indiana, indicating for her to stop. She sighed and nodded. "Look, we have to get a message to our friends in the world above. You ripped out the phone booth that can do that. Now, where is it?"
"Oh, as appealing as this stubble sandwich is," Cruella began. Arthur and Killian exchanged knowing glances, but chose not to comment on her words, "I'm pretty certain lying to you won't get me what I want. You'll eventually work out the truth, so here it is and on your way. I destroyed the phone booth. Sorry."
Indiana snorted. "You and what muscles?" she mumbled. Killian gave his sister another look, to which she responded with a little shrug and sly smile.
"Why would you do that?" Arthur demanded.
"Because, darling, I can't have anyone resolving their unfinished business," Cruella answered easily. "That would be no fun. And if I'm going to be trapped in here, so is everyone else."
Killian looked up with realization. "The book," he began. He walked toward the woman sitting in the booth. "Where is it?"
"In sight, but out of reach," Cruella taunted. "I put it in the River of Souls."
Killian clenched his jaw and turned back to Indiana and Arthur, who stood side by side. "If we can get our hands on that book, I may have a way to get those pages to Emma."
Soon enough, the three were sailing in a boat along the River of Souls.
Indiana hated being anywhere near the River of Souls. She felt uncomfortable knowing that the souls in there were to perish for eternity. It made her sad, especially knowing that she was part of the reason half of those people ended up in the Underworld in the first place. It was a shame that she learned what it meant to be good when it was too late.
"What are these things?" Arthur wondered, looking down at the water. The souls moaned a sad song. It was one that caused chills to run up and down Indiana's arms. Arthur reached out to the water.
"Careful," she darkly sang, glancing at him over her shoulder. "If you touch the water, you join them."
When they arrived on dry land, Killian was the first to spot the book. It sat in the hands of a statue.
"The book!" Killian exclaimed. "That two-tone witch was telling the truth." He turned to Arthur and Indiana. "I'll go. You two just make sure the boat's here when I return." He handed the rope to the boat to Arthur.
When he started to walk away, Indiana grabbed his bicep. "Where the bloody hell do you think you're going without me?" Indiana demanded. "We solve shit together. We're in this together, until death."
Killian gave her an unsure look. "Alright. Just... be careful," he told her.
Indiana smirked. "Always am."
With that, the two went to retrieve the book and fulfill the plan while Arthur waited with the boat.
However, it seemed that as soon as they left, a figure emerged from the water and grabbed Arthur's leg. He fell quickly, fighting off the soul that attempted to bring him in with the other Lost Souls.
"Arthur!" Killian shouted as Indiana watched with wide eyes.
"No!" Arthur argued. "Go for the book! Go!"
Indiana turned to Killian, but he was already sprinting in Arthur's direction. Little did he know, Indiana was right on his tail as they went to save Arthur from an eternity of being lost. Killian retrieved a torch, waving the flame at the soul while Indiana grabbed Arthur and attempted to pull him away.
Luckily, they saved Arthur and destroyed the vicious soul.
Or so they thought.
As soon as they turned their backs and Killian was halfway up the staircase to grab the book, the soul had returned. This time, it was heading straight for the book. It flew up and grabbed the book.
"Killian, the torch!" Arthur shouted.
Killian passed it quickly to him, where Arthur, then, took the flame and attacked the soul. The figure dropped the book onto the ground, where it then, began to slide.
"Not today!" Indiana exclaimed as she dove for the book. She managed to grab it seconds before it fell into the water. She held the book against her chest, breathing heavily as Killian ran down the stairs to join them.
Arthur was silent for a moment. "You didn't tell me those things could attack us!" he exclaimed.
Indiana rolled her eyes. "My apologies, Princess," she sarcastically responded, grunting as Killian helped her up. "It seems that things have changed since Hades left."
"I told you to be careful," Killian hissed.
Indiana shrugged. "I was." He rolled his eyes, unable to bite back the tiniest of smiles.
"Are you sure this book can help us?" Arthur asked as Indiana passed it to Killian.
"I'm not certain of anything down here, but this book is special," Killian explained. "These pages have crossed realms when people needed hope the most."
Indiana watched as Killian flicked through the pages, nostalgia hitting her when she saw images of her and Peter or her and Snow or her and Red.
"Out of professional curiosity, how does one kill the God of Death?" Arthur wondered.
Indiana snorted in amusement at his innocent question while Killian stuck the ripped out pages back into the book. "With something called an Olympian crystal," Killian answered. "Once activated, the raw power inside can obliterate anything, even a God."
"You really think Emma can find this crystal and use it?" Arthur asked. Killian and Indiana nodded. "You have a healthy dose of faith."
Indiana shrugged. "At this point, I'd say we believe in anything," she mumbled. "Besides, it's more like hope."
"All right, Swan," Killian mumbled to himself. "Now, it's your turn."
It seemed that everything was coming to a somewhat happy ending. The pages most likely reappeared in the storybook in Storybrooke and the Jones siblings's loved ones would be safe in the end.
"I owe you thanks for you help," Killian told Arthur.
"I have embarked on many a wrongheaded quest in my time. I'm just glad to finish one that was righteous. I only wish I knew what happened to Emma," Arthur responded. "And-And Peter, of course."
Indiana smiled at the King. "Emma and Peter did exactly what they needed to do in order to protect the ones they love," Indiana declared. "I'm sure of it."
"How do either of you know?" Arthur wondered.
"I don't know," Killian admitted. "I... I just do."
And then, there was a bright, white light and Indiana knew it was time to say goodbye.
I'll spare you the details, but to say the least, it was quite emotional. It basically went along the lines of, "You're really the most annoying brother I've ever had, you know" and "I love you, too, Indiana." It was Indiana's first official goodbye that she remembered.
That was the last thing Indiana remembered of her brother.