The Caverns

David crouched beside the black hole and dropped the stone. It was almost three seconds before he heard the clunk as it hit the bottom. Standing up, he looked worriedly at Snow.

"It's over 100 feet deep. I think you should stay here with the dwarfs and I should go alone."

"Charming, I scaled a castle wall to rescue you. I can do this."

"It's too perilous. The rope we have won't reach the bottom; we will have to drop about 12 feet."

"Then you'll go first so you can catch me."

A stand-off ensued, his I'm-not-letting-you-put-yourself-in-danger look matched by her just-try-and-stop-me one. He shook his head and backed down, bopping her on the nose with his finger.

"What am I ever going to do with you?"

Grumpy piped up, "Nothing you can do with that one, Sire, trust me. She's as stubborn as all get out."

"Humpf," Snow glared at Grumpy, hands on her hips.

"Just telling it like it is, sister."

Prince James brought his hand up to his mouth trying to stifle laughter. Snow punched him on the shoulder.

"Ouch." He rubbed the spot where her fist had landed. "I didn't say it, why did you hit me?"

"Oh, did I hurt the big strong Prince?"

"You did. I think it's going to require treatment." His grin gave away exactly what he was thinking.

Snow played along, a teasing lilt to her voice. "Oh yeah? What kind of treatment do you think is required?"

"A kiss might make it better."

"Well, since I don't want your injury to keep you from catching me at the bottom of the hole, I guess I'll have to try." Snow lifted her chin and lightly pecked his lips. "All better?"

"I'm afraid the damage is going to require more extensive treatment."

Snow did not protest as he grabbed her waist and pulled her in for a heated kiss. Grumpy groaned at their behavior as he and Doc worked to secure the rope to a nearby boulder.

Charming parted his lips from hers, but kept his hand gently caressing her earlobe. "You never have to worry, Snow. I will always catch you."

Grumpy cleared his throat, "If you two are through flirting, the rope is secure."

Doc dropped a lit torch down into the pit so that they would have a source of light when they got to the bottom. David took his gloves from where they had been folded over his belt, and motioned Snow to do the same. Once he had them on, he grasped the rope tightly in his hand. Using his legs as leverage against the wall, he slowly lowered himself into the ominous blackness. When he reached the end of the rope, he let go. The fall jarred his bones as he connected with the stone floor. He picked up the torch and swung it from side to side across his body to signal that he had reached the ground and Snow could begin her descent. He could barely see the orange dot of the glowing torch Grumpy held high above him. Straining his eyes, he saw a glint of white as Snow position herself on the rope. She was only visible for a few short moments before being swallowed by the darkness of the cavern.

Charming kept his eyes glued to where he could just make out the last few yards of the rope above him, waiting for Snow to appear. He was appeased by the jerking and swaying of the rope that she was still making her way down. Relief filled him when the heel of her boot finally appeared above him.

"Snow, I can see you. You're doing great. Just be careful, you're nearing the end of the rope.

He moved to stand directly under the rope. That's when he heard the swishing of wings from behind him. He turned and saw a shadowed figure and two glowing eyes above him. He thrust the torch overhead, but the human-sized bat looking animal was too high for him to reach. Startled by the commotion behind her, Snow's feet slipped from the wall leaving her precariously hanging.

"Snow, drop now. I'm right here to catch you."

With complete trust in him, she released the rope. Her body tumbled and twisted through the air, as her insides did the same. She felt the contents of her stomach making their way up her throat. She closed her eyes and prayed she would soon feel the safety of Charming's arms under her. Her body was jerked up suddenly. She never saw it coming as the dwarf-bat, or whatever it was, enclosed her body in the claws of its feet. Her first view of the creature was of the underside of its leather-like wing.

"Noooo!"

Her husband's anguished cry was followed by the whoosh of his sword zipping through the air as he flung it at the thing carrying her away from him. The clanging sound of metal crashing against the rock wall signaled that the weapon missed its mark as the bat tilted to the left and ducked at top speed through a nearby tunnel. Snow twisted and turned her body trying to pry the claws from around her waist to no avail. Her name echoed over and over through the tunnel. She tried to answer back and give him something to follow. His voice grew fainter as the creature continued its flight, until she could no longer hear it. She grew increasingly disoriented as she was carried deeper and deeper into the underground labyrinth.

She hit the ground when the flying villain slowed and released her from its claws. Glowing, yellow eyes circled around before landing just in front of her. She pulled a dagger from her boot and held it up over her head, ready to fight. A puff of crimson smoke filled the air and when it had dissipated it was another creature left standing in front of her.

"Rumplestiltskin"

"Snow White. You're awake from your little nap I see," he said with a flourish. "True loves kiss has worked it's magic again."

"What do you want?"

"Let's talk about your charming husband, shall we?"

Her stomach twisted at the imp's words. "Charming and I…we're not…he's not..."

"No use lying to me, Dearie. He is your husband. For just how long remains to be seen."

"You can't keep me from him. He will find me."

"Yes, Yes, he will always find you. True love is powerful that way. Unfortunately for you, Regina now understands just exactly how powerful it is."

"And we will defeat her because of it."

"Will you now? You better hope so, because when Charming awoke you from that sleeping curse, he signed his own death warrant. The queen will never let him live knowing he has the power to break any curse she puts on you."

"I won't let her near him."

"Ah well, you're doing a wonderful job thus far."

"What do you mean?"

"That little episode last night, the Queen herself was inside your Charming's mind, preying on his deepest fears. Surely I don't have to explain to you how real a dream can be. She called that sand dragon forth to kill him, and it very nearly worked.

"The fact that you know about it leads me to believe maybe you had something to do with it."

"I know what I need to know. And now you know what you need to know."

"And you're telling me this because?"

"I thought you might want my help."

"You're help always comes with a price, one I'm no longer willing to pay for."

"Suit yourself. Maybe one day something might change your mind." The creepy way he giggled and twirled his hands in front of her as if he knew something she didn't sent shivers up Snow's spine. "Oh, and one more thing Missy, magic can't bring back the dead."

With another swirling mass of red smoke Snow found herself alone and in the dark again. She would contemplate the green-skinned gremlin's words later, right now she needed to find her love. With no source of light, she fumbled her way through the corridors, shouting for him.

Charming leaned against the passage wall panting from his frantic run through the tunnels. He could no longer see or hear the flying beast that had taken Snow into its clutches. He had lost her. He closed his eyes in concentration hoping to hear something, or maybe love alone would lead his heart to her. That's when the faint sound of hope carried itself through the tunnels to his ears. He turned and sped in the direction of the call, her voice like a beacon leading him.

"Snow."

Hearing his voice answer she began to run, darkness be damned.

"Charming!"

"Snow!"

Her form materialized from the black hole like a miracle. He found her. She saw him and without hesitation leapt into his arms. He dropped the torch and caught her, stumbling slightly as she wrapped her legs around him and buried her face in his neck. He stood there holding her. The feel of her lungs expanding and contracting, her breath hot on his neck evidence that she was here, safe in his arms.

"Snow, are you okay? Did that thing hurt you?"

"No, I'm okay."

She lifted her head and moved her hand to finger the scar on his chin, something she did quite frequently. He leaned in intent on kissing her, but his efforts were thwarted when she dropped her feet to the ground.

"Charming…look."

He lifted his gaze from her and noticed the specks of shimmering yellow embedded in the chamber walls.

"Snow, we found them, the sleeping powder rocks."

"Did you ever doubt we would?"

"truthfully, that giant bat gave me pause."

"That was no bat. That was Rumplestiltskin."

"What are you talking about?"

"He carried me away and then poofed into himself."

"Why? What did he want?"

"He offered his help. He wanted to make a deal."

"Snow, last time you made a deal with him I almost lost you."

"Don't worry Charming, I told him no. Deals with him are too costly.

"I still don't understand why he would go to all this trouble. What's in it for him."

"I don't know. He never shows his cards, you know that. It doesn't matter anyway, I told him no deal."

"Why do I get the feeling you're not telling me everything?"

"I am. Let's just gather these rocks and get out of here."

Snow pulled a dagger from each of her boots. She handed one to Charming and together they began prying the rocks from the wall and placing them in a pouch he carried. As they were working Snow noticed a strange smell begin to permeate the air.

"Do you smell that?"

Charming wrinkled his nose. "Yea. Maybe it's from disturbing the rocks. I think we've gathered enough. Let's get out of here before we fall prey to the magic of this powder."

Nodding her head in agreement, she bent down to tuck her weapons back into her boots. That was when she noticed the scratching sound against rock floor. David stepped in front of her just as she turned and saw it. This mammoth monster was almost twice the size of the one that had carried her away. It blocked the only path out. Its wings were spread wide, the ends scraping the ground as it trudged forward. Drool dripped from its jaw, its breath giving off the putrid smell of raw eggs. Snow scrambled to her feet and took hold of the back of Charming's tunic.

David spun to the left, pushing Snow the opposite way. He lunged for the creature's torso, managing a swift swipe of his blade. A piercing screech erupted from it as it swung its wing at David. If the rumors were to be believed and this thing was once a dwarf, it was definitely more animal now. The mutant backed him up against the wall trying to get close enough to claw him. He managed to keep it at bay with some well-placed strikes of his sword. Another shriek pierced the air and the animal pivoted violently. Snow's dagger was buried in the back of its head. The blow merely incited the brute to turn his attention to her. It lumbered across the space at an astonishing speed for such a creature. David let out a scream as he rushed the beast, sword outstretched, only to be knocked back by the flat force of its wing. Snow was now trapped and weaponless as it hovered over her, teeth bared. He had to think fast.

"Snow, cover your nose and mouth, try not to breath."

Holding his own breath, he struck directly at a large pocket of the glowing rocks with the hilt of his sword. A mustard colored cloud dispersed forth. His muscles flexed and strained as he pounded again and again. The monster wheezed and staggered, crashing to the ground as the fumes overtook it. Charming bolted for Snow. Taking her limp body in his arms, he ran. His chest burned, his body begged for breath, but he thought only of Snow, of getting her to fresher air. When he could take no more, he fell to his knees and gulped for air, still cradling his love.

Her choked cough was music to his ears. Tears of relief streamed down his face as he rubbed her back allowing the effects of the powder to wear off. She wiped the wetness from his cheek with her thumbs.

"You saved me."

"We saved each other."

"That beast was definitely not Rumplestiltskin."

"No." He stood and held out his hand to Snow, pulling her to her feet. "I suggest we make our way out before whatever it was wakes up."

Snow looked around. There were two tunnels leading from where they currently were. "Any idea which way leads us out of here?"

"No, but I have no doubt we'll figure it out. After all, I have the best tracker in the enchanted forest to guide me."

"Are you trying to be charming, or are you setting me up to take the blame when we're hopelessly lost?

"I would never do such a thing.

Snow playfully rolled her eyes, "of course not."

"I'm hurt you don't believe me. I guess I'll just have to prove how much faith I have in you." With his hands around her waist, he pressed their lips together. As she returned the kiss, the both felt the hum of power radiate from them. The left tunnel illuminated with a blue/green light. They stared in awe a moment before Snow spoke.

"I'm guessing that's the way out."

They clasped hands and let the magic of true love lead them out of the mines.