I do not own or create Once Upon A Time and its charecters I borrowed them for fun no infringment intended.

Unexpected Visitor

Belle watched from the dock as the ship disappeared into the giant vortex. While she was sad to see Rumple go she couldn't be more proud of him then she was at this moment, he had found his courage. He was choosing love over power even if it cost him his life, as she knew in his mind he believed. She didn't like being left behind, but he was trusting her with the protection of Storybrooke. And she knew in her heart without a doubt, she would see him again. She stood there on the dock for a few minutes mourning their separation for what felt like the thousandth time. Why was it every time they seemed on the cusp of happiness the universe conspired to tear them apart again? She thought angrily. She turned and started back up the dock she had a job to do.

Belle was half way back to the shop and it was starting to get dark when she heard a thunderous bang like a sonic-boom from overhead. She turned her head toward the sky and saw what looked like some sort of electrical storm. It was about two hundred feet above her and to the right. A dark black cloud with purple lightning veins running across it. Every few seconds it pulsed and she could see something silhouetted against the darkness. Then just as suddenly as it appeared with another loud bang and flash of light the cloud was gone, but it had left something behind. Something that was now plummeting from the sky.

Belle watched as it drew closer to the ground, every fifty feet or so it would slow its decent. She started to move toward where it would land the next street over. What is it? Who had sent it? Was it dangerous? All these things were running through her mind. As she rounded the corner she noticed she wasn't the only one who's attention had been drawn. Ruby and Granny were coming from the opposite direction the dwarfs hot on their heels. Archie was stepping out from his office, and others from the town that she didn't know were all converging on whatever it was.

It was about twenty feet off the ground now and Belle could now tell that it wasn't a what at all. It was a who. The thing that the strange storm had brought was a person? Who are they? What did they want? Were they connected to the people rumple had warned her were coming? She had no time to think of any other questions as in front of her whomever it was touched down.

The crowd of Storybrooke residents stopped and circled around the figure who was on their hands and knees on the pavement. No one said a word they just stood there and stared, Belle wasn't even sure if anyone was breathing it was so quiet. Looking closer she identified the stranger as a female, in her mid to late twenties, long wavy brown hair pulled back into a pony-tail. As the stranger stood up shakily Belle saw she was wearing dark blue jeans, black steal-toe boots, and a royal blue t-shirt under a calf length black leather coat. She stood about as tall as Belle with her eyes hidden behind some dark shades.

The stranger was standing there rocking slightly as if off balance, and panting heavily as if out of breath. Her hands trembled as she removed her shades, and gave the crowd a slight smirk (one that looked eerily familiar to Belle) and broke the silence with, "Sorry if I scared you all, but I swear I mean you no harm." she felt the tension release a little but not much. Belle took a step forward from the crowd and was about to ask the question on everyone's mind, who was she? When the newcomer's eyes rolled back and she collapsed.

The crowd gasped, granny lowered her crossbow that Belle hadn't noticed she'd been wielding. The circle pushed in closer over the unconscious person on the ground, Belle knelt at her side. "Does anyone recognize her?" Belle asked not really expecting anyone to answer in the affirmative. There were a few muttered no's and a lot of shaken heads as she looked around. She caught sight of Dr. Whale and beckoned him forward, "Whale? Get over here she needs help!"

His eyes made contact with hers, he shook himself out of his stupor and came forward saying, "Yes of course, excuse me please coming through." he knelt down and began going over her vitals.

"Is she alright?" Ruby asked after he had checked over a few things.

"Yes well she's breathing, her pulse is a a little fast but not alarmingly so, pupils are responsive, and I don't see any lacerations or abrasions, really need to get her to the hospital to know more. Other then being unconscious she seems fine." he said

"Ya well that's all fine and good but what are we going to do with her?" The dwarf Belle remembered as Dreamy asked, " I mean we don't exactly have a good track record with newcomers in this town." a few people nodded their head and others muttered in agreement.

Belle stood and said "She said she meant us no harm, and until she proves otherwise she deserves our help." dreamy huffed and stocked off, at that she, Whale, and ruby began to haul the newcomer up. They carried her off of the street and lay her down on a bench. Ruby was off to get her car, and the crowd was all milling about talking amongst themselves. Belle just stood there watching over the sleeping figure and couldn't help but think there was something familiar about her. She knew she'd never met this person but at the same time there was something about her. But she had no more time to contemplate this as Rubies car pulled up to the curb.

They loaded her into the back seat of the car and were off to the hospital. Belle watched as the crowd milled about behind them, this would give them something to talk about for the next few days. Especially since they no longer could go running to Snow and Charming to tell them what to do. Oh Great! That was a conversation she was not looking forward to. When the townsfolk found out their beloved leaders were out of town that's when it would really hit the fan she thought. Hopefully this stranger woke up soon and could answer some questions and set peoples mind at ease.

They pulled up to the hospital and were met by a team of staff with a gurney. They wheeled her inside, Whale giving out directions. "You two will need to wait here, 'till we are done with our examinations. I'll notify you once we get her settled into a room and give you an update." and with that he was gone.

Belle sat with Ruby in the waiting room for the update that Whale had promised. They conversed a bit. Ruby was excited that Belles memory had returned, but was not happy when she learned the situation with Henry, the Charming's, Rumple, Regina, and Hook.

"Why did they just leave? They could have taken the time to say something! We would've come to help." Ruby was rambling on while Belle tried to get a word in, when Whale finally came into the room. They stood up and Ruby went silent upon seeing him.

"Well the good news is as far as we can tell she's in perfect health apart from the coma" he said. Belle breathed a sigh of relief, but could tell by the quizzical look on his face there was more.

"So what's the bad news?" Ruby asked before she could.

Whale was scratching his temple as he responded "Well it's not really bad news per say...It's more strange."

"Strange?" Belle said as she glanced over to make quick eye contact with ruby who now folded her arms shifting her weight from one leg to the other.

"Ya well... okay we took x-rays to make sure that nothing had been broken, that was quite the fall after all" he said.

"I thought you said nothing was wrong?" Ruby interrupted looking more concerned now.

"Oh there's nothing wrong with her bones, but there is something else in her body" he said and paused waiting for some kind of response from them. When all they did was take another look to each other then back to him he continued "It looks like some kind of Knife or dagger is inside her right thigh, but upon examination there is no scaring to ascertain it being placed there purposely or not." she could tell they must have looked confused when he said "Here I'll show you."

They followed him into the emergency room where he pulled out the x-ray in question, put it into the viewer and switched on the light. As Belle looked her heart sank and the color drained from her face. It couldn't be she thought, but the shape was right. Yes she would know the shape of that knife anywhere, it was a kris knife. Who was this girl and how did she have the knife? Belle didn't know but she was certainly going to find out. She had to get to the shop now and cast the cloaking spell as quickly as possible. Because she wanted to be there when this stranger awakened.