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

Chapter Twenty-Four: Alice, At Last

"Tell me again why the Dark One needs my help raiding Hell Hall, and getting his kid back...again" Emma commanded as they pulled up the house. She looked over at Rumple who watched the house with an uneasy look.

"When the time comes Emma I will need your magic to do something very important for me. Right now we need to get Alice." Rumple exited the car and Henry went to follow.

"I don't think so kid." Emma said, her hand on the door handle.

"Mom, you're seriously going to start this now?" Henry asked before bolting from the car. They all approached the house, a familiar tinge hinting at Emma's gut. Her hands burned as she stepped onto the porch. Rumple waited to the side, ensuring Cruella would not see him right away.

"Okay Emma, do your thing," Ruby said as Emma knocked on the door and waited.

For a moment, only silence followed. They all feared that Cruella had packed up and left, even though her car was in the driveway. After a few more moments, Emma was about to suggest they go around back as a dazed and obviously drunken Cruella pulled open the door.

"What now you insipid goons?" Cruella cried, tripping in her red heels and falling against the door frame. She yanked her coat up onto her bare shoulder and sneered.

"We need to talk," Emma said, straightening her face as Ruby shifted behind her.

"Whatever for? This isn't about Alice, is it? Oh, you've brought friends. I'm sorry hatter she seems to have vanished, like a rabbit." Cruella drunkenly flitted her wrist, giggling as Ruby grabbed Jefferson's arm. At this point he was ready to unleash any Hell to find Alice.

"Actually it is. You have my daughter and I want her back." Rumple appeared for the first time and Cruella was taken aback. She eyed him up and down as he stood staunchly, his hands folded in front of him. Cruella rolled her eyes and stepped backward.

"Fine, fine you were right. I took the beast," she said. She opened the door wider and entered the foyer fully, falling onto the nearest stair. Emma was unsetlled at how calm she was as Rumple stepped in.

"Well where is she? Where's the basement?" Jefferson asked as the entire party entered the foyer. Jefferson began to frantically search for a door.

"Oh no darling, you won't find it. Even if you did, I don't think you want to go down there." Cruella said, looking into the glass she was holding.

"What did you do to her?" Jefferson cried, lurching forward and yanking her up by the collar of the coat.

"Jefferson!" Emma accosted, pulling him back as Cruella repositioned herself and sneered at them.

"Nothing she didn't provoke and you Rumple, you were stupid enough to help me capture her," Cruella said, her mood changing once more as she darkly chuckled at Rumple.

They all gave Rumple a confused look and he shook his head, anger boiling in him.

"You're right, that was before I touched this. A work if Vanessa's no doubt. Now you're going to tell me where that basement is, or I'm going kill you." Cruella cackled at his threat.

"Oh please! You don't have it in you, coward." Before she could finish the sentence, Rumple had raised his hand. Cruella dropped the glass and began clawing at her neck. The glass shattered and the tension that her magic had created was released. Henry, who had been leaning against the walls under the stairs fell backward, revealing a hidden staircase.

"Grandpa! It's here!" he cried as Rumple lowered his hand.

"Emma you stay with her. We aren't finished." he warned as Cruella's sly smile returned.