I am aware this isn't posting correctly I have since given up trying but that only means it will probably work now anyway the point is this entire fic and the rest of the updates will all be posted on A03 if your interested in reading it. /works/27377527/chapters/67310140
Eyes wide open David was still tossing and turning and it seemed the more he wanted the relief of sleep, to be able to experience time away from his thoughts. Then the less likely he was going to get a good night's rest. Still no sign of the mysterious campers or any further leads on the monster terrorising the town. He spent most nights starring at the ceiling wondering when it would be over, when the foretold happy ending would come.
Mary Margret reached for his hand, feeling him moving beside her she instinctively tried to calm David, so he could get some rest and he did feel a bit more at ease for a moment. Unfortunately, tonight nobody in Storybrooke would be getting much sleep, around 1am a loud explosion in the centre of town abruptly woke everyone up.
Emma sat up immediately, the loud noise shocking her awake and she reached for her phone. Checking to make sure it wasn't what she feared, but what most likely was the cause of the wake-up call. Her friends getting themselves once again in over the heads, straight into the line of fire.
"No, no no" Emma mumbled to herself as she looked down at her phone, she had about twenty messages from Elsa and she knew exactly what it would be about. Emma checked them anyway Red and Mulan where at it again and now they had got Killian tagging along.
Quickly jumping out of bed and sliding down the ladder to the first floor, Emma was already calling Elsa but it went straight to voicemail. This made Emma's heart race faster as she made her way downstairs. Her parents already out of bed looking out the window to see what may have caused the disruption to their otherwise quiet but sleepless night. However, all they could see was the red light from the flames brightening the night sky unsure of what could cause such a disaster.
"Emma wait" Mary Margret called out realising Emma had already run out the door heading right towards the flames.
They both quickly followed but Emma was frantic and already strides ahead of them. Emma couldn't even hear them yelling for her to slow down. All she could hear was her feet pounding on the pavement as she got closer and closer, terrified of what awaited her but she had to know if they were ok.
Finally, someone picked up the phone Emma breathed a sigh of relief when she heard Killian's voice as he answered. But it was hard to hear what he was saying over the noise of the fire and the yelling in the background.
"Where are you?" Emma almost yelled she could barely hear his response a she ran through the middle of the road towards the flames.
Killian was coughing not able to answer, as he tried to get clear without breathing in too much smoke. He frantically made this way ducking as low as he could to avoid the smoke bellowing over him running out into the street.
"Killian?" Emma called out concerned hearing him struggle to breath.
"I'm ok, just getting clear" Killian finally answered followed by a few more coughs.
"The others" Emma asked.
"Everyone's ok" Killian reassured her
"You sure" Emma asked feeling panicked.
"There standing beside me" Killian responded looking over at Mulan and Red.
"What happened" Emma was getting more worried as she got closer feeling the heat from the fire.
"I'm not sure, exactly" Killian replied confused trying to piece it together as it all happened rather fast. People started emerging from their homes and Emma finally got close enough to see the three of them standing there in front of a burnt-out convenience store. The flames towering up stories high.
"Killian" Emma said hanging up the phone as she got within hearing distance.
Emma slammed into Killian wrapping her arms around his back. Killian turned around not surprised to see Emma had run all the way here, he returned her hug with a smile on his face.
"Is it the creature, what's going on?" Emma asked confused.
"We were tracking something, thought it might be those missing campers, but we just ended up running into" Killian explained to Emma, as he gestured to the men coming over to them.
"Us" Little John said finishing his sentence, as he came into light his men close behind him.
Emma frowned getting more questions then answers about what everyone was doing out here and she could see more people emerging from the darkness. Coming out from there homes with the same questions on their minds.
"Emma, what happened" David said with relief. He had finally caught up and saw they she was ok. However, the building behind them was up in flames he wondered if anyone was inside.
Sirens blared in the distance as the fire truck made its way towards the them. The explosion was loud and the flames where high but it seemed it was just the gas bottles locked up in the cages out the front of the store that caused the explosion. As the fuel had mostly burnt out the flames slightly began to calm no more fireballs in sight.
"Stay back, there could be another explosion" Mary Margret told them urging for everyone to get out of the street and on the footpath on the other side of the road.
"We checked no one's inside, the structure" Little John announced knowing what was on everyone's minds.
"What where you doing here in the first place" David asked getting closer standing in between the Merry men and the kids.
"Someone has to stop this thing; more and more people go missing everyday" One of the men yelled from back in the pack.
"So, your solution is to attack everyone you see" Mulan yelled back at them.
"We had a trail someone, didn't realise there was some teenagers running amuck and we like to shot first" Little John explained standing his ground this time.
"An arrow caused this explosion" Mary Margret replied confused.
"No, we have this" Little John said holding up a bag of magic dust. Fairy dust that they had dusted their weapons in, thinking it may have more impact on the creature then just wood and stone.
"Why would you need that? You don't even know if it will work" David looked at them in disgust wasting such precious magic in a time like this.
"You're the one who suggested magic" Little John spat back
"I meant we need to know more, before we go after it with no idea what where up against and cause a disaster" David said gesturing at the fire.
"We don't have time to wait, 'prince'" One of the other men chimed in.
"Well setting fires isn't helping things" Mary Margret added getting in between them before they came to blows.
"It wasn't my fault that girl, and her sword deflected my shot and it hit the gas bottle" He said looking at Mulan sceptically.
"Mulan was just deflecting your attack on us" Killian yelled over them.
"You could have killed us" Red chimed in frustrated they tried to blame them for this mess.
"We can't just do nothing" Little John said but he wasn't angry anymore, just lost.
"So far all you've done is attack some teenagers, again" David replied still bitter about what happened to Emma the last time they crossed paths.
"Well maybe you need to keep better track of them" One of the other men yelled to a resulting glare from David.
Emma was getting sick of this argument and just wanted to get a clear answer from her friends about what was going on. So, she tugged at Kilian's jacket urging him to a sidebar while the adults continued to bicker. Red and Mulan followed, although Mulan was distracted on the phone getting and earful no doubt from Elsa about broken promises.
"You guys sure you're ok" Emma said as a bigger crowd formed and the fire brigade work to put out the flames creating and even bigger cloud of smoke.
"Yeah, made it through that encounter unscathed thanks to Mulan "Red said smiling at her but she didn't hear to preoccupied trying to convince her girlfriend to stay at home where it's safe.
"Ok well then I won't feel bad about yelling at you" Emma said louder than expected and Mary Margret turned to look at them.
"We can explain" Killian reiterated but looking at Emma's frantic expression he knew his explanation wouldn't suffice.
"And you what are you doing here" Emma said starring Killian down.
"It's obvious these two aren't giving up on the nightly patrols, so I figured I should at least assist them" Killian replied
"Hey we don't need no man's help" Red replied jokingly the seriousness at the situation still not sinking in.
"You know you can't fight this monster alone" Emma replied.
"We weren't after the creature I thought I heard the campers, but it was just those idiots" Red said with a defeated tone gesturing towards the Merry Men.
They were silent for a moment the other crowd had somewhat calmed and stopped yelling as more people started to gather watching the flames getting washed away, the heat dying down bringing a cold shiver amongst the crowd. With a moment to revaluate the actions that lead to this they felt some remorse as the fire fighters risked their own life and limb, working on putting out the flames before they spread to people's homes.
"This could have been much worse" Mary Margret said her heart sinking
"There will be no more late-night stake outs" David said looking towards Red, Killian and Mulan the nodded sheepishly Mulan finally off the phone Elsa's fears bringing her back to the reality of the situation they had got themselves in.
"Oh no" Red said fearful expression across her face.
"What, can you sense the creature" Killian asked concerned.
"No worse" Red paused turning around "It's Gran" Red finished with a gulp.
"My god girl what are you doing, sneaking out" Granny said now solidly passed worry and stuck on anger realising she was ok she grabbed her hand ready to drag her back to the safety of her room.
"See you guys tomorrow" Red said walking away with Granny arguing as the went off into the distance.
"Everyone please return to your homes" Graham voice said through a megaphone realising people had started to converge and argue.
"Any investigations into incidents involving the creature are to be left for the Sheriff's office" Graham finished but he had lost their confidence and this caused a murmur amongst the crowd.
However, they started to diminish as they realised that there wasn't much to see the emergency services where doing their job and the danger for now seemed to have passed, they would have to leave this fight for tomorrow. Emma finally let herself breath a sigh of relief feeling better now she was standing beside her friends again Killian heard this and looked over to Emma once more with a smile.
"You scared me" Emma said to Killian with a small nudge.
"I know, but it was my turn" Killian replied jokingly.
"I didn't realise we were taking turns" Emma replied with a smile.
Emma laughed her face berried in his chest his hand rubbing her back for comfort reminding her that he was here and wasn't going anywhere. The held each other for a moment forgetting the chaos around them Emma was thoughtful knowing she didn't want to experience that dreadful heartache ever again. She let got of his embrace looking up at Killian.
"Let's make a deal next time something dangerous and possibly life threatening happens, we'll be together" Emma said.
"Promise" Killian said with a smile.
"Next time" Mary Margret said eyebrows raised as she beckoned Emma over, to come back home with her while David was explained what happened to Graham.
"With our lives, it's a given" Emma said making her way over, looking back to give one last wave to Killian.
"Not if I can help it" Mary Margret replied putting her arm around Emma's shoulder they started making their way back home to bed along with the rest of the town.
However, you could feel the fear in the air Storybrooke had literally hit boiling point. With great immediacy they had to find a way to stop this menace, that was now not just taking people but stirring fear in the hearts of everyone and that fear was becoming just as dangerous.
From the back of the crowd a voice started to cry out. Calling for someone over and over getting louder her voice breaking as she continued, realising she may have lost someone. The crowd stop walking away and silence fell as they listened to the voice continue to cry out in agony.
"Joanne" the unknown woman cried out again.
There was murmur amongst everyone and the unknown women started running through the crowd crying desperate to find her missing companion. The started gathering around her to offer comfort as she crumpled to the ground. Realising what had happened with paralysing agony because the cold darkness that she had felt just minutes ago behind her, right where Joanne was standing was the creature and while she was preoccupied with the fire, Joanne had been taken.
Even with all these people around the creature had taken someone and it had gone completely undetected. There was nothing anyone could have done and no way of knowing who would be next leaving all residents of Storybrooke to another sleepless night.