I do not own anything you may recognize from the show, I only own the plot and the people I have created for this story. I also am not a miner, a doctor or rescue worker, but I will try to keep things as real as possible. That is part of the reason this part has taken me a while to write as I was doing some research as to cause and effects so please bear that in mind and I hope you enjoy this next part.

Xxx

In Storybrooke Maine, it is said all things seem to happen at or near Granny's dinner, and tonight was no exception. Inside the dinner, patrons sat and waited, not really ordering much to the Elder Lucas's detriment, for she needed to keep her mind off her fool granddaughter and the family Charming as they hunted the latest round of trouble to grace the town. At the counter, Henry sat with Leroy of all people, the aptly named Grumpy actually trying to cheer the youngster up for once, with no success she noted.

In her normal booth in the back, Belle sat with her untouched glass of iced tea beside her, glancing between the clock over the door and the map spread out before her making marks as the received sporadic updates from David on what they had and had not found. Occasionally Regina would also call, but she was calling more to check and see if Henry was still where they had left him then to pass on anything that they could use.

It had been five hours already since Emma, Snow, David, Ruby and Regina had left, all armed with their own form of weapons, hunting those who had trespassed on and terrorized the town for the last month, having put more than a few holes in car tires, then people when they had been discovered. But at the same time, they still did not know what they wanted or who they were, the only thing they did know at this time was they were hiding out near the cliffs at the edge of the town line, coming and going under cover of night on the open ocean.

Their hiding place was somewhere inside a dense portion of woods and rocks in the most dangerous section of the Enchanted Forest that had been moved with them in the original curse. The trees were thick and dense, the forest floor rising and falling in drop offs and ridges making it too difficult for anyone to live in that area and only a few intrepid souls, like Robin's men or the young werewolf to go there most of the time. That was why Ruby was out with the others instead of at home on the night before wolfs time, her keen senses aiding snow and David in trying to track the elusive prey.

It was just past seven at night when things went from bad to worse for the residents of the town. Twenty minutes ago David had called and told Belle they had found something and were going to check it out, but if they didn't hear from them by seven thirty, they were to expect the worst. Belle knew Regina had a spell ready to free them all from capture, but it was a one shot spell and they would not use it unless they absolutely had to as it would leave both Emma and Regina drained of magic for a week. As she glanced once more around the unusually quiet dinner, her gazed locked with Granny's and just as she started to smile reassuringly at the older woman, a shock wave rattled the glasses and plates, sending a few crashing to the floor. A second later they all heard a distant sound like thunder and ran as one towards the doors.

Xxx

"I don't like this." Snow told her husband as they peered into the dark abyss before them. "I think Emma should stay out here while we go inside."

"Not going to happen MM!" her daughter told her pointedly. "You and David are staying out here to keep an eye on things. Your bow is not suited for 'inside' work so to speak and David is better suited to hiding in the woods then I am." She told her parents as she gestured at the red leather jacket she wore. "Same for Ruby cause of her cloak, and we need Regina inside with us in case we run into any large groups. You know it's for the best."

"I still don't like it," Snow told her daughter reluctantly, "but your right. Just be careful and quick. I have a bad feeling about this place."

"Relax Snow we will take care of your little girl." Regina told her former step daughter as she brushed a leaf off the arm of her jacket, for once the former queen was dressed down, wearing jeans and sturdy boots as opposed to her usual high end dress suits. "She is a big enough to tie her own shoes most times, I'm sure she can handle a few spiders and dark corners without you holding her hand."

"Will you two knock it off already?" Emma asked as she rolled her eyes at them, "You are worse than a couple of kids in a sand box fighting over who gets to dig where. I'm cold and tired and want to get this over with."

"I'm with her." Ruby spoke up for the first time, having spent the previous few minutes looking around as the dysfunctional odd ball family argued. "There are tracks leading in but I can't find and coming out so you might want to keep it quiet."

"I'm going to let Bell know what we found, but if you're not back in forty-five minutes, we will come looking for you." David told his daughter and the woman he considered a little sister. "Just watch your selves and keep your phones on silent. No use taking chances."

Moving away, David watched as the three woman entered the dark tunnel, the dark swallowing them almost immediately. Pulling out his phone he called and updated the other before moving off to find a vantage point where he and Snow could keep watch on the outside. Finding a thicket overlooking the entrance, they settled back to watch, and wait.

Xxx

It was dark and damp inside the cave, the floor near the entrance covered in slick rotting leaves and twigs that tried to trip the trio up if not for the presence of the sure footed were in front of her, Emma was sure she would have lander on her back more than once before they cleared the first twenty feet. Ruby was leading them for now, her eye sight better suited to the tiny bit of light still trickling in from the opening, they did not want to use a flashlight just yet and give themselves away. Finding the ground more stable, she released her grip on Ruby's shoulder, allowing the other woman to move ahead and look around.

Beside her, she felt Regina's presence as the older woman moved to stand beside her, the only sounds they could hear was the soft breather of themselves, even the soft treads of the wolf were lost in the quiet dark after a few moments. After what felt like an eternity, but was actually only a few minutes the dark was broken by a green glow as Ruby returned, a glow stick of all things held in her had.

"What" she asked seeing the looks the other two were giving her? "I saw it on TV, it's not as bright as a flashlight but I don't need that much light." She told them with a shrug.

"Only you Miss Lucas would use what you see in a movie while we are facing reality." The once Evil Queen replied with a raised eyebrow.

"Whatever works, Miss Mills." The waitress replied with her own raised brow.

"What did you find Ruby," asked Emma, bringing them back on track.

"The tunnel leads down and is scuffed, like it's been used a lot, and recently to. I'm almost positive this is where they have been hiding out."

"Then shall we proceed? I want this over with so I can send that infernal cat back to where it belongs." Regina told them turning on her light as she prepared to move ahead.

"What's wrong, not a cat person? Ghost is a very loving cat. Besides he is Henry's so he goes were Henry goes."

"That creature is possessed, or insane, I'm not sure which yet. Did you know he chases imaginary bugs? And he has a shoe fetish."

"Then you must get along perfectly." Ruby said with a grin, leading the others forward, her glow stick held low and out of her direct line of sight. "I've seen your shoes. How many pairs do you own anyways?"

"That's neither here nor there. I am a woman and a woman is entitled to own a few pairs of shoes. That mangy fur ball likes to sleep with them!" At the indignant sound of her voice, the other two started to laugh.

Xxx

"They've been gone to long David." Snow said as she once again looked at her watch. "Something must be wrong. We need to go find them."

"I'll check it out but I know they are fine." David tried to reassure his wife. He to loved his daughter, but Snow took worrying to a whole new level at times. It seemed she had a hard time remembering their little girl was actually an adult with a pre-teen of her own. "We just have to give them some time."

Climbing out of the thicket, he approached the opening to the cave, his eyes and ears alert for any sight or sound that did not belong. He was ten feet from the side of the opening when his world was rocked and he found himself tossed aside by an explosion. His mind called out for his daughter even as his world went black.

Xxx

Pain, confusion, darkness, those were the thoughts that drifted threw her mind as the world started to come back around her. She could feel something on her legs, something that felt heavy yet soft, keeping her trapped face down as she tried to move. That was when she realized moving was not of the good as her head swam making her feel sick to her stomach, she swallowed against the nausea, feeling the grit that coated her mouth from the dust in the air. Reaching down as far as she could, she felt what she thought might be an arm and with trembling fingers she found what she sought, a pulse. Whoever it was, they were alive.

Lifting her head slowly, she tried to call out to her friends, but she wasn't sure if she made a sound or not and she realized not only couldn't she see anything in the total darkness, but whatever had happened had deafened her as well. She needed to get free, to check on the others, to get out of this dark prison, now! Moving despite the pain she felt in her back and check, she pulled herself forward slightly, freeing her upper legs from the body behind her. Even that small victory was short lived thou as the pounding in her head and the pain in her body overwhelmed her, sending her back into the dark oblivion on unconsciousness.

Xxx

At the dinner, phones all-around the tables started to ring, all but one, held in a hand more used to printed words then to technology as people started to panic about town. At one booth, a red haired man stood up, moving towards his older friend, seeing the panic on the lined face, her complexion starting to match her hair, Archie Hooper, once known as Jiminy Cricket, caught the elder wolf as she faltered, guiding her into a seat.

"What was that?" Henry asked fearfully, looking around at all the adults in the room.

"An explosion of some kind," Leroy told him absently, not paying attention to just who was asking, "sounded like it was underground."

"How can you tell?" Archie asked.

"I'm a dwarf, and a miner, we just know this stuff." Was the gruff reply.

Looking once more at her notes, Belle lifted a trembling hand and with the press of a button, she hoped her worst fears were not realized, for she alone knew that three of their own had gone into a cave looking for answers. When she did not get a reply, she desperately tried another number, and another, yet she did not, could not reach any of her friends.

xxx

Let me know what you think

RM