Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time or it's Characters, they belong to their respective owners. I do, however, own Storm and her alter ego as well as Striker and his alter ego and their story line. This has come from the haunted, depraved, tortured darkness that is my mind.

Hope and love: Thank you, I'll try.

shippolove844: Here's more and there's even more to come.

Classicshe: Thank you and there will be more on the way.

A Flash of Life

=Ms. Star's P.O.V=

I smiled lightly leaning back in the wooden deck chair. "So love, was it up to your standards?"

Mr. Gold nodded wiping his mouth on his napkin and settled back in the chair. "Yes, I had no idea you could cook so well"

I smiled sheepishly. "I'm a person of many hidden talents" I stated looking over at Gunner who was grazing silently alongside the fence.

"So I see"

I shook my head lightly laughing softly and stretched up before relaxing in the chair and tipped my head back watching the clouds move across the darkening sky, only a few of the stars were out and even more would be out later on in the evening.

"So did you plan something else for this evening too?"

I tipped my head back up to look at him. "Honestly? I was thinking I'd rather see if dinner went well first then kind of make it up as I went along"

"Well dear I'm content to sit out here under the stars for a bit longer if you are"

I nodded lightly resting back against my chair, it felt good to have someone over for a change, it was something I very rarely ever did; my home was my haven, it was the one thing I loved and being right near the edge of town had its perks, no next to no traffic and noise and the property backing onto the forest had its perks too like the diverse amount of animals that would often drift through the property.

I shivered at the chill in the air as a cold breeze swept across the property and glanced to Gunner as he raised his head looking towards the forest and then to me before nickering softly.

"Something the matter?"

I turned my head towards Mr. Gold before looking back towards the forest. "No," I furrowed my brow lightly watching Gunner turn his head to the forest and raise his head whinnying loudly. "It's nothing," I shivered again from the cold and finally looked back to him properly. "Let's head inside," I nodded towards Gunner. "I just need to put his rug on first"

"Of course, I'll be inside"

I gave a nod and turned grabbing Gunner's cover from its spot draped over the deck banister and headed towards his paddock.

I smiled lightly slipping between the rails of the fence and patted his neck before throwing the blanket up over his back and began to straighten it out before clipping it up properly. I patted his neck and turned to watch the forest, I could hear the restlessness of the animals that dwelled there. "What's going on in there Gunner?" I murmured stroking his ears gently before patting his cheek. "It's beginning to get worse"

I kissed his cheek checking his rug once more before turning and heading back to house gathering the plate's along the way. I ran my eyes over Mr. Gold as I made my way through the living room; he was sat in one of the arm chairs in front of the fire place. I made my way silently into the kitchen and felt pain bite into my temple, a head ache coming on fast.

I stumbled slightly dropping the plates on the top of the counter and clutched the edge quickly trying to keep myself upright. I leant against the counter, images flashing before my eyes, words spoken in my head as I relived another vision briefly.

"Are you alright?"

I felt a light touch on my shoulder and let it sag under the weight, my head screaming in pain as I pressed my fingers to my temples and turned to face Mr. Gold leaning back against the counter top. "Fine love, just a headache"

"You look pale, perhaps you should sit" He motioned to towards the dining table at the end of the kitchen.

I shook my head lightly as another wave of pain passed over me, my vision wavering slightly causing me to sway lightly as I tried to stand straight. "I think I need to lay down" I murmured clutching my head again.

I looked up as Mr. Gold took my arm and smiled gratefully as he kept me steady.

"The bedroom's through here right?" He nodded towards the front hall.

I gave a light nod feeling dizzy and clenched my fingers through my hair at another searing blaze of pain arched across my skull.

"Perhaps a visit to the hospital is in order?"

I shook my head lightly. "I'll be fine sooner or later," I murmured as I pushed open the door leading into the master bedroom.

"My, my, this is a gorgeous room isn't it?"

I smiled weakly. "It's the master bedroom what did you expect? A Shit hole?" I murmured wincing as the jack hammer began to start in my skull again.

I collapsed onto the bed face down and groaned lowly before freezing, my mind was swimming again, another vision of something that didn't belong to me.

The hooded rider nudged her heels against her steeds sides, he was impossibly tall, his coat the shade of an onyx, eyes the same fire blazing red as her's. He snorted stopping as she tugged lightly on the reins. The building before them, the local stables, wasn't anything special just 2 long simple wooden barns with a carriage house next to them and fields behind them.

The woman looked up at the dilapidated sign that was barely hanging on and looked to her steed. "I'm sorry Striker but this will have to do for now" She murmured resting her forehead against his, a hand on his cheek as she stroked the jet black fur gently.

I opened my eyes slowly finding the room completely pitch black before the edge of the bed sunk slightly.

"Are you alright now?"

I nodded mutely feeling a warming shiver run up the length of my spine as Mr. Gold began to slowly brush back a few strands of my hair. "I'm sorry the night didn't turn out as planned" I murmured into my pillow trying to fight back the pain that hadn't seemed to subdue yet.

"Not to worry dear, dinner was lovely and the company was better than anything else I had planned tonight"

I smiled wearily, not that he could see it. "You don't have to flatter me love"

He chuckled lightly, his hand straying further down my spine. "Is there anything I can get for you?"

I shook my heads lightly before cursing the gods and wishing I hadn't as I fought the urge to be sick before rolling onto my back and trying to kick off my shoes.

"Here, let me"

I was almost taken back at his soft grip as he took my ankle sliding my shoe's off and placing them on the floor. "You don't have to do this" I murmured sliding out of the button up shirt I'd thrown over the top of my tank top.

"Nonsense, it's the least I can do"

I smiled gratefully before stretching slightly, I felt a bite of rejection as Mr. Gold stood and turned to leave. "Don't leave" I reached out catching his hand, I didn't want to be alone.

He chuckled turning and dipping slightly before taking my chin in his fingers. "I have no intention of leaving dear, just shutting the doors"

I nodded lightly watching him leave before shimmying out of my skinny jeans and dumping them on the floor before sliding under the covers and burying my head into my pillows, the pain had subdued ever so slightly but it still hadn't gone away enough for me to warrant moving or even drinking like I'd planned on doing.

I smiled lightly feeling the bed sink and shivered lightly at the hand that pressed against my shoulders.

"Good night dear" His breath swept over my ear sending an excited shiver through every inch of my body.

"Good night love" I murmured burying my face into the pillow to block out the remaining light before slowly drifting off but not before I felt an arm snake around my waist tightening just enough to be considered possessive.

I know, I know, its been far too long but I've been busy with ME3 and I've sunk my claws into the Walking Dead too so I'm busy working on fics for James Vega (Why, oh why Bioware? Why make a flirty character like him and then not have it go anywhere?) and Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus you sexy bastard) but I will continue on with all of these I currently have going, the others are just in their planning stages right now.