Still don't own anything. I realize I am jumping around a bit, sorry about that. I have decided to center the story from the last chapter forward with some flashbacks to fill in areas. I hope this does not confuse you too much. If I do this right when I post, flashbacks should be in italics. Hope you enjoy.

RM

Xxx

Snow scrambled from the thicket, her heart pounding at a mile a minute as she rushed to David's side. Falling to her knee's she reached out and touched his shoulder just as he let out a groan, causing her to jump partly in relief and partly from fright.

"Wha.." the blond man groaned, holding his hand to the back of his head where it had bounced off the ground. "Emma!" he said as his eyes flew open looking around in panic, struggling to get to his feet.

"I don't know." Snow told him as she helped him up. "Are you OK?"

"I will be. What happened?" he asked, still slightly confused as to why he had been laying on the ground.

"I don't know, there was some kind of explosion." Was her timid reply as she looked towards where her daughter had entered the cliff face not long before. As she was about to run towards the cliff, they both jumped when a loud sound came from her pocket.

"Your grandson is calling! Pick up the phone!" the mechanical sounding voice was loud and clear in the unnaturally quiet forest around them. As this repeated for the third time, she managed to fumble the device from her pocket, hitting the green accept button, cutting of the annoying ringtone.

"Granma, what happened?" crackled across the airways before she could even say hello. "Is everyone alright?"

"We are fine Henry, but we need to talk to Leroy. Are you still with him?"

"Yes, but why do you need him."

Reaching out, David took the device from his pale faced wife "Just give Grumpy the phone Henry, we will explain more latter."

Xxx

As she came to for the second time, she decided to wait before moving again, hoping to hold the black of unconsciousness at bay. She knew she would be of no use to anyone if she didn't slow down and think, even though it was hard with the way her head pounded. She could still feel the other body, no not a body, they were alive her mind shouted back, pressing against her lower legs, so she knew she was not paralyzed.

Taking a calming breath, she started to do a mental check of her injuries. After a few moments, she realized she had a broken or sprain wrist, it was hard to tell in the dark, as well as the head injury. Also her back and chest felt like they needed medical attention, something she knew was not happening right away. Realizing that, yes she could move, that it would hurt, but there was no choice, she opened her eyes and tried to look around in the inky dark.

Just as she was about to give up, a faint glow in the corner of her eye caught her attention. Whatever it was, it was faint, and green, and with a hollow laugh she recognized the item. It was a neon green glow stick covered it dirt.

Xxx

David sat where his wife had forced him to, having called for the royal guards, they could only wait, knowing to try anything else could endanger the others more than help. Still he chaffed, for it was his words that let the others enter what could be their tomb, and the Prince in him hated the thought as much as the Shepard part of him did. After what felt like eternity, but was only twenty minutes, the first of them arrived, the engines of the off road vehicles load in the twilight hour after the birds stopped and before the night creatures started their own songs.

The first to arrive were Grumpy and his brothers, pick axes over their shoulders and with a pointed finger in the right direction, six of the men moved off without a word while the seventh, Doc, moved to check on David. After a brief check up, Doc let David go, giving him his own ax, knowing in this situation he was needed more as Doc and less as a dwarf miner.

Within an hour it seemed as though half the town was there, some trying to help, others more in the way before being chased off by Archie. The mild mannered man could be very forceful when he needed to be, like now. It was always the quiet ones they say, that make good managers in a disaster, and so the red head had proven, making Snow and David take a break. Getting Henry to return to town, despite the young man's protests had been his crowning achievement so far.

He relayed updates to Belle at the hospital where the young woman waited with Granny and Henry, knowing that more than likely the three women would be making a trip to the facility when they were freed no matter what they said. The Dwarfs were in charge of the actual rescue operation, but Archie was in charge of the logistics and he took the job very seriously.

Xxx

The eerie glow cast by the small stick helped calm her a little, but at the same time, it did not offer much comfort. The light it gave off barely pushed back the dark, casting only about a five foot circle of dim green light. It was enough for her to recognize the woman who had been draped over her legs but could not cut the blackness enough for her to find her other friend. That worried her more than anything else, for how could she face her family if she could not help someone close to her when they needed her.

Having done all she could for the one she was with, fighting against the vertigo that threatened every time she moved her head, she crawled on her hand and knees, holding the green light in her injured hand, towards where she thought the other woman might be. It seemed to take forever just to move five feet, the distance where she could just make out the form of the injured woman behind her, but still there was no sign of her other companion. Now she was torn, leave the one behind her on her own, or leave the other to her fate. Just as she was about to decide, fate stepped in once more and made the choice for her. She felt more then heard the ground vibrate just as the rocks ahead of her seemed to collapse in on themselves and a bright light struck her in the face sending a lance of pain spiking through her head again and once more Morpheus enfolded her in his arms.

Xxx

A cry went up from the shaft as the dwarfs broke through, having been working none stop for five hours, the miners proved why none could best them. They had done what it would have taken a small army elsewhere to do in twice as much time with half as much used.

"Doc, get in here!" was shouted from the light strung tunnel calling the medic and making the hearts of those who waited falter a bit.

"What's wrong?" Snow all but demanded as she reached out to grab the hapless Sleepy as he turned to go back into the tunnel from where he had just shouted.

"Grumpy wanted Doc, that's all I know."

"Snow, let them work. The sooner their done, the sooner we will know." Archie told his onetime Queen. He knew if any family went in it could hurt the others chances. "They know what they are doing in there; you will only be in the way."

"But it's my daughter." The woman cried, fear gripping her heart at the thought of losing her once more.

"Mine as well Snow," David replied as he pulled her into his arms, "we just have to have faith she will be alright. Believe in her, like you believe in true love and all will be fine." Even as he said it, his own heart was breaking; feeling helpless did not sit well with him.

As they watched, more people rushed forward, those who had been given training magically by the original curse and after by more conventional means in rescue, going to help those trapped within the forbidden looking cliff. How much longer could he hold both himself and his head strong wife together David though as there were calls for medical equipment.

Xxx

Doc worked quickly but effectively as he looked around at the destruction in the chamber he was in. Spread around the 'room' four bodies were scattered, three alive, one not. He did not know who the unknown mans was but if the elder dwarf had to guess the scene he found was his fault. As other entered the senior medic directed them to patients as he grabbed a sheet and carefully spread it over the still cold body before him. He would mourn the loss later, but now was for the living.

"I want all of them on backboards before you even think of moving them, and get C-collars on them as well. Check their breathing." He shouted to be heard over the voices in the chamber, the echo inside the room making it hard to be heard it seemed. Moving to the group closest to the entrance, he squatted down to check on the patient. "Report." He told the young woman in charge.

"Blood pressure and heart rate are good. Breathing is a bit labored. Possible broken right wrist, ribs are either fractured or broken on the right as well. Abdomen is slightly ridged, possible internal bleeding. She has blood coming out of her ears, not sure if it's from head trauma or something else. Numerous cuts and contusions, but we have managed to stem the blood lose for now."

"Get her out of here as soon as you can, directly to the hospital. There are trauma teams standing by." With a brief nod the young woman turned back to her patient.

Moving to the next closest group doc asked the same question as he cast a careful eye over the patient. From just what he could see she was in worse condition then the first having obvious broken limbs.

"Pulse is low, same with her blood pressure. Open fracture on her right arm, we have splinted it for now until we can clean it out. Pupils are sluggish but reactive, possible sever concussion. There is a piece of what looks like rebar through her side, we have stabilized it for now. As soon as we get her on a back board we are going to evacuate." This from a middle aged man who had been a healer back in the White Kingdom at one point. "Her breather seems ok for now but we are going to get her hooked uo to oxygen as soon as she is clear."

Moving over to where the most activity was happening, Doc watched as Grumpy and Sleepy tried to figure out a way to move the large beam pinning the third patient against the wall without causing further harm to them or the unstable looking rock above them. Seeing they had reached a decision, Doc moved in to help shore up the ceiling with some of the wooden beams that had lined the opening to a deeper part of the caves. When this was done, the dwarfs carefully began to lift the offending beam, getting clues as to how fast or slow to move from the response of the ground around them.

"That's it. We can't move it anymore or we will bring the whole place down." Grumpy finally said, having moved the large beam about a foot away from the wall. "Get them out now, before it gives way."

From the ground a young man and woman, both bearing signs of medical equipment on their bodies reached forward to careful grasp at the only part of the trapped person they could reach, the legs, and slowly pulled back, revealing a dirt and blood encrusted body. The only sign they were still alive was the shallow rise and fall of their chest.

"Get them an a back board and get everyone out now." Doc shouted as he felt more then heard the earth beneath his feet groan. Being a miner he and his brothers all knew what that meant, a collapse was imminent, and if they did not move fast, they would all be trapped.

Xxx

"A Sheriff, a Mayor, and a waitress come to stop me" a voice from ahead caused the three women to pause and cast varying looks at each other. "Don't be shy, step into my parlor said the spider to the fly"

"Who are you?" Emma asked as they entered a large chamber and saw a man with a dark complexion waiting for them.

"My name is not important. The only thing you need to know is that I have watched you for a while now, and I know your secrets. Don't worry; I'm not interested in your magic, or the ability to shift. I just have one question for you, and the answer will either set you free or condemn you. And don't even both to try a spell Your Majesty" he told them casting a look in Regina's direction. "This chamber is made of the most unusual rock don't you know."

"What's he on about?" Ruby asked even as she looked around trying to see if there was anyone else there.

"What I mean my dear Red Riding hood, can't really call you little now can we," the stranger replied casting his look at the long legged brunette, "is that in this chamber, your magic won't work, I know cause I had someone try it for me. A way to even the odds in my favor, after all, it is three against one."

"Magic might not work, but my gun does." Emma told him, drawing her sidearm and pointing it at him.

"True, but if you do shot me, we all go boom." he replied "I have this placed wired for detonation. Just answer my question and we can all go our separate ways. Where is my sister?"

"Who is your sister?" Regina asked him. "Because I can say with certainty you're not from our world."

"Tamara, where is my sister Tamara." came the surprising answer.

Casting a look at the shorter woman beside her Emma turned back to the man, not sure if there was a right answer for them. She could see the hints of madness in the dark eyes staring back at her. Taking a deep breath she decided the truth would have to do. Even as she went to answer she caught movement around her as both Regina and Ruby moved to the sides, waiting for her to make the first move. With an almost imperceptible nob, she told him even as the others rushed forward to stop what she could feel was inevitable.

The last thing she saw before rocks started falling around her was the sight of a red cape being tossed a crossed the room and then she felt herself collide with something hard and unmoving, then blackness.

Xxx

As I said before, I'm no medic, or geologist so I'm using artistic license here. Hope you enjoy, till next time.

RM