Belle sat there on the cold floor alone in the panic room a few moments. She took deep, calming breaths as her heart thundered in her chest like a scattering cat but Belle was determined to get a hold of herself. She was better than this, and thankfully her body responded by slowing her breathing and managed to put a stop to her shaking. The auburn-haired beauty shut her azure eyes and thought for a couple of seconds, Elias had gone for Ashley but what had happened to Ruby, Tink and the rest of her friends? Hell, even Zelena and Tamara. They could have been hurt, or worse. Maybe Elias wouldn't be able to find them in time, no, Belle couldn't just sit there and hope for the best, she had to get her friends.
After she'd pushed herself up Belle calmed her nerves and wiped away the stray tears that had gathered on her porcelain cheeks before she headed out into the eerily silent halls. A voice screamed at her to stay in the safe room where she was safe but she couldn't just sit there and wait for Gold to return, what if he didn't?
~X~
Gold took each step slowly so as to avoid any floorboard that may give him away and gripped his gun, a Beretta, tightly in his right hand. His breathing was silent and his chocolate orbs darted along the long main hallway search of the intruder. Elias had been assured that The House Of Scarlet was impenetrable, couldn't be hacked, couldn't be found and yet everything had gone Titanic. The older man had promised to protect his girls and now he didn't know if any of them were still alive, the memory of Cruella, Victoria as her parents named her, floating dead in his pool, he could only imagine the horrors his other girls suffered.
He peered into the room his doctor and house manager shared pleased when he found it in darkness and empty, the boys were out for the night; probably the best plan they'd ever had. Elias was about to push Mulan's door open when the sound of footsteps on the back staircase had him hurrying down the tall and around the corner to stand between the edge of the room and Tamara's door. He wanted to have stayed in the panic room with Belle, wanted to hide and let his cowardice win. It took Elias a moment but he managed to get up the courage to peer around the edge of the wall, if he was spotted he'd have no choice but to charge down the main stairs and hope he could loop around to his bedroom faster than whoever had broken into his home. His breath came in pants as he ever so carefully looked back down the main hallway. No one. Not a soul stood in the hall and Gold didn't quite know what to make of that, he'd heard footsteps, he knew he it. Had whoever this man mad was crept down towards Ruby's and Ashley's bedrooms or had he gone towards the wing he shared with Victor and Jefferson? Gold didn't know, but if it was the latter Belle would be safe inside the panic room.
The business owner let his head fall back against the wall as he forced himself to stay calm, forced him to get a hold of himself. He needed to find the girls, Cruella was dead, there wasn't any point looking for her inside her room so instead he quietly rested his hand on the handle to Tamara's room attached to which was a silver, glittery T. Hoping there was only one mad man on the loose he stepped inside the dark room only to be assaulted by the stench of iron. The little voice at the back of his mind had already figured out what that smell was and where it came from but it wasn't until he pushed the door open fully to let in a stream of light that his eyes landed on Tamara's body and he finally had to accept it. Tamara was gone as well; horrifically. Gold's body wretched when he saw her, clumps of Tamara's ebony hair surrounded her lifeless corpse as it lay in a pool of slowly drying crimson. She had deep cuts all along her face and arms but it was her open eyes – open lifeless eyes – still so full of fear that forced him to look away.
Tamara had always been somewhat of an opinionated bitch but she'd not deserved this, to be disfigured and murdered. Bile rose up in his throat, please God don't let the others be like this. He'd come to care for all of his House Girls, especially Ashley and his sweet Belle, he needed them to live.
Every single fibre of his being screamed at him to run to the panic room and hide, stay where it was safe but something else burned within Elias Gold's heart which banished the fear; Elias didn't know what caused it or what its name was but he used the strength it provided and went to look for the others.
The Scotsman was about to head for Zelena's room and work his way back along the halls and hopefully to Ashley's room when a faint groaning caught his attention. The sound came from the bottom of the stairs and Gold knew he had no choice but to look over the edge down at the living room cautiously. He'd seen what had been done to both Cruella and Tamara so he didn't expect what he found to be good.
"Oh Christ!" He slapped a hand over his mouth praying no one had heard him as dark eyes took in the sight of Tinker Bell face down on the hardwood floor below.
Her legs were kicked out in directions they shouldn't have bent in and while Gold was fairly sure she was awake he looked completely disoriented and in agony. In a sort of silent charge he rushed down the main staircase and crouched by her side as best he could, he set his gun down by his foot and brushed the mess of blond locks, which had been thrown loose from her bun, so he could see her face. Her clothes were ripped though if that had been when she'd been thrown or when she'd been grabbed Gold didn't know.
"Tink?" No response. "Tink?" Still nothing from the injured woman. "Rose?!"
Finally pained eyes managed to flutter open at the sound of her real name and terror quickly faded when she realized who was beside her. Now alert she registered the excruciating pain which sparked through her legs and lower back; later she'd think about how that was actually a very good thing.
"Eli- ahhh!" She hissed as she tried to push herself up.
"Shush, I need you to be quiet, okay?"
Tink nodded as best she was able and Gold reached down to grab the fabric of her skirt fearing what he'd find when he pulled it upwards to reveal her lower thighs and the backs of her knees. He gulped seeing the thick blood which coated her legs and that feeling of nausea hit him again. The left leg had already bruised from kneecap to ankle and coated in a sheen of blood where the skin of her thigh had ruptured open. The other leg, however, the closest one, was just horrific. The tibia had clearly broken on impact at her shin and pressed angrily against the skin which had been sent a combination of deep purple and terrifying red. Whoever had broken into his home was picking off his girls one by one, the women he was supposed to care for. Tamara and Cruella were already dead along with who knew how many else and if he didn't get Tink to a doctor very soon she likely would be as well.
"It hurts." Was all the blond managed to say in a broken voice and Gold could even imagine how much pain she was in. He walked with a cane and yet couldn't imagine the agony. "Please."
Did she even know what she pleaded for?
"I know, Tink." He nodded to himself as he thought about what was best to do. He had no idea how much damage had been done to her legs and her spine but if he left her there that mad man would likely find her and finish her off. "I have to pick you up, okay? We've not got any other choice."
He was fully aware that picking her up and carrying her could have paralyzed her from the waist down but if he didn't … he didn't want to think about it. The blond understood, knew what he meant but this was her only chance of survival surely. Carrying her wouldn't be easy what with his ankle but he could do it, he would do it.
"Do it." She agreed.
Dark eyes flashed around to make sure they weren't being watched and then he scooted closer only to ground to a halt and grab his gun when he heard movement. He couldn't see anything or anyone but he knew they were there, behind the armchair between his living room and dining room.
A voice said, Look me in the stars
And tell me truly, men of earth,
If all the soul-and-body scars
Were not too much to pay for birth.
A Question by Robert Frost
~X~
Belle moved much like Gold had down the halls, slow so as not to make a sound, her hands shook at her side but Belle wouldn't turn back. Everything had been so perfect only a few hours ago and now she was in a horror movie that was all too real. In the long hallway before the back staircase there was nothing but the linen closet, the camera-less bathroom, access to the house manager's office and the bedroom he shared with his husband. All doors were closed and silent so she forced herself ahead. All that courage she'd built up though died a second later when she heard the back stairs creak, did she have time to make it back to Gold's bedroom before whoever this murderer was found her?
"Belle!" Came a whispered scream from the linen closet beside her. "Belle quick!"
Belle spun around to the linen closet where the feminine voice had come from and didn't question as the door opened just enough for Belle to slip inside before the door closed once more. Crammed into the tiny space she found herself face to face with Ariel and the two quickly grabbed hold of one another's hands for comfort.
"Ariel-"
The redhead gestured frantically with her free hand for Belle to shut up and that was exactly what Belle did when they heard whoever it was reach the top of the stairs. They could just about see half of the hall in front of them, mostly the floor, through the white slats of the linen closet door. Ariel clamped her free hand over her mouth to stay as quiet as her shaking body could when heavy – and very dirty – boots came into view. The House Girls knew every single man who went in and out of that house, they knew the smart dress shoes their employer, Jefferson and Victor wore, knew the boots of their security guards and would have even recognized Leroy; these weren't the shoes of any of them.
Both girls shook violently and tears rolled down over Ariel's hand. It hurt being curled up in such a small space but neither girl could bring themselves to care, especially when a long blade came into view dripping with the blood of their friends and long dark hairs. They could hear his heavy breaths and saw a glow coming from his blade-less hand as though he were holding a phone. It was then that Belle understood, he can see the cameras! That's how none of us knew he was here. Neither of them dared move a muscle because it would mean certain death but on the inside they were shaking violently and screaming for help.
If Graham, Robin and Will hadn't called the police by now or come to save them it meant they were dead, how many of her friends were dead as well? Ashley was only nineteen, she was too young for this, all of them were.
Just when the girls thought he'd heard them the man in the clown mask stormed off back down the stairs with some speed in search of someone to kill and Belle thought she should have felt guilty for being thankful.
Ariel and the auburn-haired beauty stood there for what felt like forever but could have only been a minute praying it wasn't a trick and he had actually gone before Belle dared to push open the door and stick her head out. The hallway was void of anyone but themselves which made them breathe a sigh of relief.
"Come on." She whispered and tugged Ariel out after her. "How long have you been in there?"
"I- I- I don't know." Ariel stuttered, her red hair was a mess and her face pale. "I thought... Mulan and Aurora were being loud like always but-" She cut herself off.
"What?"
"Tinker Bell got to Mulan's room first, she came running out with that guy following her - he's got a- a clown mask on. I just ran, I don't think he saw me."
Belle pulled Ariel into her arms and held her tight for a moment trying to be of some comfort, Ariel appreciated the gesture but it did nothing to calm her nerves.
Belle took a deep breath. "Did you see Mulan or Princess?" She managed to ask.
"No, you're the only one I've seen other than him. Someone else went passed but I couldn't see who."
Belle nodded to herself for a second then took Ariel's hand in her own to pull her quickly towards Mulan's room. Each step was pure horror as they feared Clown Mask would suddenly appear and have them cornered but eventually they reached the door marked with an orange 'M'. Hesitantly a shaky pale hand reached out for the door handle and pushed the door open; Belle forced herself not to scream at the sight. Mulan and Aurora were cuffed to one bedpost covered over with a sea of blood. Ariel gasped, covering her mouth with both hands just in time to silence her panic, Belle rushed to her friends and met Aurora's scared orbs as she ripped away the fabric keeping her quiet. Aurora had one wrist cuffed to the bed and the other holding the stab wound to her abdomen; hand painted red.
"Help Jamie?" She pleaded as soon as the t-shirt gag had been removed and Belle's head swung around to Mulan who lay unconscious on the floor beside her while Ariel kept watch at the door. "Please?"
Pressing her ear to Mulan's chest Belle found her still breathing and thanked anyone who'd listen before pulling the fabric from Mulan's mouth and grabbed one of the stray tank tops that lay on her bed. Belle wrapped the green fabric around her friend's wrist as tightly as she could in a desperate attempted to stop the bleeding, it worked, just. Belle's knees were covered in a mix of Mulan's and Aurora's blood and it was sickening but Belle tried not to think of it, they could scream later when they were safe, that's if you live her mind said unhelpfully. Belle slapped at Mulan's cheek just hard enough to rouse her and on the fourth hit her hazel eyes opened groggy and drained.
"That's it, stay awake Mulan. We need you awake." She tried to smile when Mulan's eyes fluttered but it wasn't very convincing.
The world seemed to drift back to the bleeding woman but she was too weak to speak or really move, a groan did escape her lips though.
"Ariel?" The redhead swung around to face Belle. "Do you have a bobby pin or something?"
Ariel shook her head then went back to watching the empty hall after muttering a no sorry.
"I do." Aurora managed to say while pointing to just behind her ear with a chained hand. "There."
Belle carefully but with hast pulled the pin loose and bent it open to start picking at Aurora' cuff, she could see the questioning look on Mulan's face amongst the pain; Belle knew she wanted to ask how Belle learnt to pick handcuffs with a bobby pin. That was a story for another day though, not a very long story, it was the only useful thing Gaston her time with Gaston had ever produced. The silver metal opened and Aurora managed to sit herself up and tug another piece of fabric towards her, this time a white long-sleeved v-neck, from the bed and press it to her wound; it didn't stay white for long.
Belle quickly got the other girl free and tried to help her up but their dark-haired friend was just too weak.
"Ariel, help me." Belle insisted.
The redhead looked around the hall once more before racing over to help Belle lift Mulan, somehow Aurora got to her feet and hobbled ahead of the two uninjured girls and the woman she loved.
"Go to Gold's room." Belle said quietly and the girls obeyed.