Once Upon A Wonderland~ Killian Jones

Smoke and Dust- Again

Bursting out of the bathroom, I rushed over to where Lacey and Killian were sitting in awkward silence. Obviously, Lacey's jest at Killian's favorite drink had not been forgiven.

"We need to leave. Right now," I said, taking the whiskey out of Killian's hand.

"But I just got the drinks!" Killian protested.

"I have rum at home," My eyes darted around the bar, my mind convinced I was going to see another demon or minion of Hades. "Come on! We've got to go!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!"

Lacey cocked her head and pouted. "Leaving so soon? Why, did my little speech make you uncomfortable?"

I slapped a ten dollar bill down on the table and flashed a tight-lipped smile at Lacey. "I'm sorry today didn't go well, and I'm sorry we have to leave so soon. But I have an emergency at home."

"Is everything alright?" Killian asked, his body becoming tense and his eyebrows furrowing together concernedly.

"It's fine, but we need to leave right now.
Killian?" I motioned for him to get up.

"Right, of course, sorry," he lurched up, giving a hasty nod of his head to Belle. "Lacey, pleasure to meet you."

"You as well," she grinned. "We'll have to do this again sometime."

"Unlikely," I grumbled, latching on your Killian's wrist and tugging him towards the exit.

"Grace, what's going on?" Killian asked as we left the bar, worry etched on his face.

I paused, taking a moment to collect my thoughts as I pulled the car out of the parking lot. "Killian... there's something I didn't tell you. About the explosion."

"What do you mean?" He pressed, his voice low. His hook caught the light of a passing car's headlights, seeming to wink dangerously at me momentarily before fading into darkness again.

I took a deep breath, steadying my hands on the wheel. "When I got to the car that night... the night of the explosion, I mean... there was a gas pipe cut in my car. Deliberately. And it was right by the gas pedal, so I think the person wanted me to see it, too."

"What are you saying? You think someone in Storybrooke is trying to kill you?" Hook shifted his body towards me.

"I don't know. Maybe. Emma and David seem to think so."

"Why didn't you tell me, love?" Killian put his hand on my arm, his tone softer than I would have expected.

My face reddened, and an image of Hades flashed in my mind. "I don't know," I mumbled. "I just- I never thought it was important."

"Not important? This is serious! Grace, you're not safe!" Killian gripped my arm now, his voice becoming heartbreakingly pleading.

I swallowed back a lump in my throat I wasn't aware of, pulling into my neighborhood. "Well, nothing else has happened since then. I'm completely fine now..." The car rolled to a stop in front of my house.

My perfect, pristine, house... which was currently up in flames.

Killian and I sat for a moment, frozen in shock, before I gave a shout and stumbled out of the car towards my burning house. The fire roared in angry reds and oranges, jumping out to lick tongues of flames at the garden and front gate. Smoke billowed up, creating haze of noxious gas. I coughed, drawing my arm across my face. Suddenly, Killian was behind me, his hand and hook pulling my shoulders back.

"We have to call the fire station!" Killian roared over the howl of the fire. Gripping my shoulder tightly, he pulled me back to the other side of the street. All I could do was stare, slack-jawed, at the hulking mass of black timber and white flame sitting where my house used to be.