Once Upon A Wondrous Love (A Once Upon A Time Fanfiction)

Chapter Ten: The Hunt

"Well I suppose now the cat is out of the bag...gastly creatures aren't they." Cruella snapped as Regina approached her 

"I should've known not to trust you!" Regina snapped as Robin appeared beside her. "What are you talking about? I haven't done anything wrong." Mary-Margret and Belle appeared next. 

"Regina why didn't you tell me she was here?" Belle asked angrily. Cruella gawked at her. 

"Look it's the bookworm. Have you seen your Beast lately?" "David take Belle please." 

"Alright, I'm sorry for ruining the night. There, you happy?" "Regina! Which way did Alice go?" Jefferson came to Regina's side and put aside all his anger for Cruella. 

"Hello, who is this young thing?" Cruella asked as Regina shuddered and turned to Jefferson. "I don't know. She went backstage." He sighed. 

"Alright, meet me at my house in an hour. I'll let you know if I find her." Jefferson started towards the stage. "Jefferson!" He looked to see Emma and Ruby hurrying towards him. 

"Emma not right now I have to find Alice." "I know. We wanna help." "Regina said she went backstage." "There's an exit there. She's going to run." Emma said as she pulled on her jacket and followed Jefferson into the cold night. Emma handed Ruby Alice's jacket. 

"It's faint, but I can find her." Ruby reported, taking off. 

"Alice!" 

"Alice!"

Alice

I ran hard and fast, the branches tearing at my hair and dress. The cold bit through the light fabric and I cursed myself for wearing such an unfortunate dress. 

I was heading for a place. Any place where I could end it all. I had to get away. I tripped and landed face down into fresh dirt. 

A few feet ahead was a hole. It was about two feet by two feet. Large enough for someone to fit through. I crawled over and place both hands on the outside of it, looking it to see how deep it was. 

In the faint light of the crescent moon, I could almost make out two eyes. "Alice!" I jumped at the sound of my name and stood, willing myself to go further. 

After a couple hundred yards, I came to a halt as the ground disappeared. I was standing on the edge of a small gorge. A stream gurgled about twenty feet down. 

It was just enough. I could hear them closing in and knew that I had to do it. This was the only way. The only way I could finally be free of Cruella's reign. The only way I could finally let go of the memories and the anger and all the pain she had caused me. 

"Alice!" 

They were close. I had to do it. 

Moving back a few feet I raced forward and leapt. My stomach raced to my heart as I plunged into the icy water. I tumbled in the current that seemed so small until I had actually hit it and pain radiated through my head as it connected with a large rock. My vision became dark and blurred by water. 

"I think I'll name you Alice...he will love you so much." 

I felt warmth all over as I drifted far away.

Jefferson was hot on Ruby's heels as they raced through the forest as was luckily there when Ruby stopped short and almost fell. 

"Jesus H guys!" Emma said, breathlessly joining them. "Her scent. It stops here." "You don't think." Jefferson started, his voice breaking. 

"Ruby, try again. Maybe she-." "No it stops here. She must've jumped and now-." "No she's not dead!" Jefferson said forcefully, grabbing Ruby's shoulders. Ruby dislodged herself from him as he began to climb down the very steep embankment. 

"I should've worn boots." Emma said as she followed Ruby. 

Once at the bottom, they scaled the shore, searching for any sign of Alice. Ruby sniffed, hard and fast, trying to catch even the slightest tinge of Alice's scent. 

She could smell trees, grass, leaves. 

The musk of animals that would become her prey once the full moon rose and then...tea. The bitter scent of tea with the slightest tinge of roses. 

"I can smell her!" Ruby screamed. 

Jefferson became more fevered in his movements and soon was in a full run, searching the banks. He almost lost his footing as something dark snaked around his boots. He looked to see the black cat Alice had brought with her to the tea party. 

"Dinah, where is she?" he asked breathlessly. The cat looked at him and then started for the water. The cat fought against the current until it appeared on the other side and began to approach a large heap on the ground. 

Quickly, he jumped in, having to swim in the deepest part but soon reaching the graveling bottom and trudging over to the suspicious mound. The blue fabric was the first to give it away, the second was when Jefferson parted her hair and found Alice. 

"She's here!" he said, his voice hoarse. He felt her neck and recoiled at his bloody hand. 

"Is she okay?" Ruby asked as Emma joined him. "Move." Emma pushed him out of the way and began compressions. 

She wasn't near certification at all when it came to CPR, but she knew the basics. She pumped and pumped and jumped back as she was showered with lukewarm water. Coughing filled her ears and she sighed in relief. 

"W-What happened?" Alice croaked. "That doesn't matter now."Jefferson said softly, brushing her hair from her eyes.

"Jefferson, let's get her back to your house." Emma helped Jefferson as they came to a set of stairs that connected to a bridge overhead for hikers. 

Above, Ruby realized that they were only a few miles away from Victor's house as she reached Emma and Jefferson from the second set. 

"Ruby call Whale and get him to meet us as Jefferson's." Ruby nodded as Emma and Jefferson walked quickly and into the night.

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