Welcome to a Nightmare

Chapter 1: A Warning on the Inside

"I knew I should've left earlier," Crystal mutters to herself as she turns off the highway heading towards Storybrooke and her home.

She's dressed nicely with her hair up, prepared to attend Emma and Killian's wedding. The only problem was she slept late and ended up stuck in traffic. She tried calling home a few times, but no one was answering, probably due to the wedding planning. She knew she was probably going to miss the ceremony. "Ah well, free booze and cake," she shrugs to herself. "Plus, Emma and Killian are finally getting married!"

Crystal hadn't seen Storybrooke and her friends in awhile because there was some legal stuff she had to deal with in New York. She was excited to be going home, to see her friends and her family again. Especially Gideon. She hadn't really met him yet and was looking forward to it. She was a big sister, even though he was now eight years older than her. She still wanted to see him.

She had called her step-mom, Belle, the other night to learn that her dad was once a Saviour and he was fated to face the Black Fairy, his mother, and her grandmother, and she was defeated, allowing Emma and Killian's wedding to go on and the defeat of darkness. Also, her brother, Gideon's heart had been restored, turning him back to normal and a hero.

Crystal makes a turn, checking the clock on the dashboard. Two minutes to six, the wedding was starting at six. To pass the time, she turns on the radio.

"That was the latest hit from Lorde and next up is Ed Sheeran with..."

Suddenly the radio begins to scramble. Crystal fiddles with the dials, trying to get the signal again, but nothing.

"N-Nothing... can... stop...m-me"

"What the hell?!" Crystal mutters to herself. "Come on you piece of crap!" She passes a familiar landmark, knowing Storybrooke is another few miles up the road. She continues to turn the knobs, trying to get the radio to work again.

"It's... too... late...now..."

Crystal's phone starts to buzz on her seat and she sees that it's Belle's number. She fumbles, trying to drive with one hand and finally pulls over to answer it. She turns the car off. She sighs. She can see the Welcome to Storybrooke sign literally ten feet away. Couldn't her stepmother have waited until after she got into town?

"Hey Belle," she says.

"Crystal listen to me!" is the voice on the other end. It's definitely Belle, but she sounds panicked and worried.

"What's going on?"

"D-Don't... come..." once again static is interfering. Crystal steps out of the car and notices the change in the temperature. The wind has picked up and the sky is graying, even though it was much sunnier earlier. If there was a sunset, it would be the perfect backdrop for a wedding.

"What? You're breaking up?" Crystal shouts.

"Don't come... Bl...Fairy... not..."

The clock tower in town strikes six o'clock, she can hear the chimes. Crystal sighs, knowing she probably missed the ceremony.

"Look, Belle, I'm literally feet from the town line, I'll talk to you at the wedding."

"N...No... c-ur-ur...se"

"What was that?"

There is suddenly a loud rumbling coming from the centre of town. Crystal has to hold onto the door of her car to keep herself steady. Her entire body suddenly shakes, and she feels a great darkness overpower her. Her hands light up a bit, indicating something's wrong with her magic. The sky has darkened, and a large mass of black clouds and sparkling dust begins to come up the road at a rapid pace.

From far away a male voice shouts. "THE BLACK FAIRY'S CURSE. IT'S HERE!"

"Oh..." Crystal swallows. Her heart pounds against her ribcage as the black mass comes closer and closer. She frantically drops her phone in the seat and makes a full U-turn, hoping that she can outrun the curse, like Killian, did with his ship. The only difference this time is she has the horsepower. She can see the clouds rolling towards her through the rear-view mirror. She swallows and puts the pedal to the metal. This is what Belle was trying to warn her about. This was yet another dark curse, very different this time, most likely created by her grandmother, the Black Fairy. Everyone else must've been swept up already, the least she can do is leave a little bit of hope to stop it. How? She's not sure, but she doesn't need to be a part of her grandmother's twisted scheme.

The clouds, however, stop once it engulfs the Welcome to Storybrooke sign. It's hit the town line and looks like it hits a wall. Crystal stops, pulling her car over to the side and getting out. She watches as the clouds swirl harmlessly behind the invisible barrier that surrounds the town line. She runs up, hoping to get some answers or find someone who can explain it to her, but it's nothing but darkness. Once she reaches the barrier, she's thrown back onto the pavement. She winces in pain and stares up at the dark curse. She's blocked from saving anyone. She's worried about everybody she cares about, her father, brother, Emma, Killian, Henry, Regina, Snow, David, baby Neal, even Zelena.

"What the hell happened?" Crystal hisses under her breath, not sure if she wants to know the answer.