I realized I completely forgot that Merida was in Storybrooke. Oops! Anyway I've decided not to include her, at least not yet. If you're a fan, I apologize but her hair distracts me. And why has she not changed her clothes. Weird thoughts that run through my head.
There was soooo much in "Last Rites" that I just don't even want to touch cause… well cause I'm not gonna. I did LOVE seeing a little bit of Anya in Emma Caulfield's blind witch. "I smelled a bromance. Table for Two?"
Thanks for following me on my first OUAT journey.
A/N: OUAT is owned by ABC so I'm SOL otherwise LGBT would be more Main Stream which would equal SwanQueen.
Chapter 10 - Sanctuary
"A portal just opened up over at the witch's ranch. Zelena and a man came through by themselves. The portal was still open when I left, and I have a man watching it for more incoming. This is it!"
Snow took the command. "Alright people, this is it. Ruby and Dorothy, you two take David's truck and get down there. I had Sleepy set it up with blankets and first aid gear. Take Will and 6 more men with you for back up."
Ruby and Dorothy nodded and were off. Will pointed at different men to follow them out.
"I'll close up shop and get the house open and ready. Phone me if we need anything we don't already have. I have boys ready to play runners for supplies." Granny yelled over her shoulder as she headed to close out the back door.
"I'll make sure the men are at their stations here." Mulan stated as she walked out, the remainder of the men following after her just as Blue entered from the back with Granny.
"Blue! Looks like it's go time. Thank you again for guarding him." Snow handed Neal to Blue.
"Of course, Snow." Blue smiled reassuringly.
"Oh before I forget." Snow reached into his diaper bag and pulled out the teddy bear Glinda had sent her home with. "This is for him."
"A gift from his Fairy Godmother. How amazing!" Blue exclaimed holding the bear close to Neal.
"I wouldn't say amazing, it's just a ted… hey did you say Fairy Godmother? How did you know?" Snow asked.
"The protection spell placed on this stuffed animal is strong. I think quite possibly casted by more than one witch, but has the trademark of a guardian like a Fairy Godmother." Blue saw the dazed expression on Snow's face and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Snow. It's ok. Young Prince Neal will be protected by all the fairies in Storybrooke, and the witches of Oz. Go. Go do what you need to do."
Snow simply nodded, kissed Neal on the forehead, and left to follow Granny.
Xoxoxoxoxo
The Ranch…
Ruby pulled the pickup truck a few yards away from where they could clearly see the portal. Then men jumped down out of the back, as she and Dorothy climbed out of the cab. To the right, they saw two men running toward them.
"It's been going for about 17 minutes strong. So far the witch and the other man are the only ones who have come through." Little John shouted over the sound of the wind around the portal.
"Where did they go?" Dorothy shouted back.
"They looked like they were going to run for the farm house, but turned and disappeared in a green cloud. Poof! Gone." Said the smaller of the two.
"We'll worry about them later. Let's get the stretchers and gear ready to go." Ruby said, and everyone followed.
About a minute later, a single figure seemingly walked calmly through the portal. Rumplestiltskin. He took a couple of steps forward, then looked as though he was about to collapse. With both hands on his knees, he seemed to be catching his breath. He attempted another step, and his leg buckled under him again. Rumple produced his cane out of thin air to help hold himself upright. When he noticed his audience, he disappeared with a flick of his wrist.
"If the others don't come out soon, I'm going to kill that beast myself." Ruby growled. "Belle better be ok."
No sooner had she spoken, when more figures were unceremoniously thrown out of the portal. Henry, Regina and Robin collapsed onto the floor. Four of the Merry Men ran up to help them walk back to the cars. One holding a sword at the ready, walking backwards behind them. As soon as they reached vehicles, the three newly arrived, collapsed in their arms. The last of their energy completely drained.
"Get the boys into the back of Robin's truck, and get them to Granny's!" Dorothy yelled, the winds speeding up drastically in the last minute.
One of the men yelled, "What about the Queen?"
"She needs to stay close. Make her comfortable in the back of David's truck." Ruby yelled back.
Dorothy took Ruby's arm gently and pointed with her head toward the portal. "I think the vortex is closing, Red. The wind usually picks up when a portal is opening or closing!"
"They'll be here! We can't go back to Snow without them." Ruby cried, staring at the portal.
The wind was getting stronger, and the portal seemed to be shrinking. Ruby's eyes were wet with tears and she reached out to intertwine a hand with Dorothy's.
When the portal reached the size of a basketball, Ruby shut her eyes. She couldn't watch it disappear.
"Wolfie, Look!" Dorothy tugged on Ruby's hand.
Ruby looked, and more tears sprang from her eyes as she ran toward Emma and David. By the time they crossed the short distance to the father and daughter, the portal was completely gone. They both had attempted to stand but collapsed back to the ground.
"Emma! David! We got you, don't worry. We got you." Ruby held onto Emma's hand as her and David were placed on stretchers by the others.
When the men carried them to the awaiting cars, Ruby remained kneeling. Dorothy bent to help her up, placing an arm around her shoulders.
"God that was too close." Ruby said through a sniffle.
"They're ok, Red. They're all going to be ok. Let's get them back to Snow." Dorothy asked one of the men to drive the truck so that Ruby could climb in back with the two women. David following them in the back of another car.
Xoxoxoxo
Snow was pacing the foyer of Granny's BnB. It had been 30 minutes since the others left for the farm, and no word had come on the happenings there. With the majority of the merry men and the others not knowing how to use a cell phone, she wasn't likely to receive a text with information.
It was a surprise that a few of the men had even learned to drive. Ruby would have been the only one able to send her a message, but did she even have a phone since being back?
Granny was sitting with a crossbow in hand at a window seat in the living room, with the window open wide. Snow froze as she spotted a cigarette hanging from the older woman's lips.
"Don't judge me, Snow, I haven't been this on edge since my diner was uprooted and relocated to Camelot. I stopped drinking, and we've been waiting 30 minutes for the others to return." Granny took a deep drag and blew the smoke out the window. "Don't tell Ruby."
Snow laughed. She couldn't decide if she wanted to cry from the lack of an update, or laugh from the obscurity of Granny smoking and asking her not to tell. She laughed as tears fell from her eyes, and Granny began laughing with her. Both suddenly jumping up and running out the door at the sound of a truck pulling up to the BnB.
They reached the truck in time to see the men lifting stretchers carrying Henry and Robin. Granny directed the men to their room. Snow waited behind on the front steps for sign of the others, while Granny and a fairy volunteer began the process of taking vitals. The crossers seemed to be breathing regularly, and in a deep sort of sleep.
Out in front, Snow was listing for anything to indicate the others were approaching. Subconsciously, she turned her wedding ring repeatedly in circles around her finger. A nervous habit she's had for years, but never noticed. Even after David pointed it out to her.
The sounds of cars approaching caught her attention moments before she saw a black car, followed closely by David's truck.
Ruby jumped down from the back of the truck and motioned to Snow. "David's in the back of that car. Emma and Regina are here in the back of his truck. You take care of David, Snow. Dorothy and I will take care of these two."
A loud whistle sounded above their heads. They all looked up to see Mulan looking down on them from the roof top. She made silent hand gestures that neither of the women recognized. Mulan kept repeating them.
"She said someone's coming… on foot… get inside." The group turned to see Sleepy looking up and stretch into a yawn.
At the last two words, everyone kicked into gear. Emma and Regina were taken up to their room, and Snow took David into her room from the night before. The front door was closed and barricaded behind them, and the men in the trees readied their bows and arrows.
"Halt!" Mulan yelled from the rooftop. In a sneer she said, "What do you want, Witch?!"
Zelena stood alone, and moved to open her coat. The men drew back their bows further, but all movement froze with a loud cry of a baby.
"Sanctuary?" said Zelena.