Child of the Moon

A couple of days later, David got a call from the dwarves that they Leroy broke through a wall in the cave and found something. David, Gwen, Fallon and Tamera arrived a short time later with Henry and Mother Superior. When they got to the mine and met up with Happy. "Where is he?" asked David.

Happy took them to where Leroy fell through the wall. They looked inside Leroy and several of the other dwarves were inside. When the dwarves saw them, they smiled. The group entered the cavern and they looked up and the ceiling was covered with diamonds, "Are those…" Henry started to ask.

"Diamonds," Mother Superior answered, "They're back. The magic brought them back."

"You mean, the kind that become fairy dust?"

"Indeed. We just need to refine them – grind them up," Mother Superior looked at David, "Do you still have what remains of Jefferson's hat?" David took out the battered hat, "You lock this up," said Mother Superior, "Keep it safe. Because, by this time tomorrow, we'll have enough magic dust to make it work again."

"So, Mary Margaret and Emma…" said Henry.

"That's right, kid," said David, "We're bringing 'em home."

The group headed to Granny's to celebrate with a round of drinks, "To the dwarves!" said Gwen.

Everyone cheered.

"That was quite a spill. Are you okay?" asked Tamera.

"I've had worse," said Leroy.

Gwen looked at the other side of the diner and he saw her great nephew drinking a cup of coffee. He pointed it out to her brother and the two of them headed over to the booth Henry was sitting in, "Is that coffee?" asked Gwen, as they sat down.

"No," said Henry.

"Trying to stay up, huh?" asked David.

Henry nodded.

"Still worried about those nightmares?"

Henry nodded, again

"Well, don't be," said David, "Cause, when you go to sleep tonight, I'm going to be right in the next room. Now maybe, lose the java, and go grab a cocoa."

Henry got up and went to get himself a cocoa.

"Henry's been having nightmares?"

"Yeah," said David. "Something about a roomfull of fire. Snow had the same ones after I woke her up from the sleeping curse."

"Must be a side effect."

David nodded. Then, Albert Spencer sat down at the booth across from David and Gwen. "Congratulations, Sheriff, Quite a celebration."

"What are you doing here, Father?" asked Gwen.

"You two may have taken care of me in the old world, but, in this one, we get another go at each other."

"Whenever you're ready."

Albert looked at David, "It's a big moment for you, isn't it? On your way to getting your family back."

"Ah… Yeah, it must be hard for you. You know, watching good win," said David.

"Good? So sure of yourself. But I know the truth. You're still just a shepherd pretending to be a prince. You weren't fit to run the kingdom, and you sure as hell aren't fit to run this town."

"I think the people of Storybrooke might disagree with you," said Gwen.

"Today. But I'm going to see to it that they see things my way," Albert looked at David, "That they see you for who you really are, By the time I'm done with you, you'll wish you'd killed me when you had the chance."

"The people of this town know who I really am," said David, as he stood up. Gwen stood up as well and David continued, "And they've seen me defeat you before. So, if you want to try and take me down, they'll see it again." Then they walked away.

David and Gwen walked in the kitchen and saw someone welding on the door of the walk-in freezer, as Ruby watched. The person stopped and removed the welder's mask, it was Granny, "Almost done," She said, "Let's finish clearing out those perishables."

Ruby went into the freezer and carried out some trays, "What the hell is this?" asked David.

"We're making a cage." asked Ruby, "Know anybody who might want thirty-eight frozen lasagnas?"

"I'm sorry, what?" asked Gwen.

"I know. Nobody would believe it if you told them my lasagna was frozen," said Granny.

"No. Why are you building a cage?" asked David.

"Tonight's the first full moon since the curse broke. It's the first night of Wolfstime."

"I thought you figured out how to control the wolf in you ages ago?" asked Gwen.

"Yeah. But, thanks to the curse, I haven't turned in twenty-eight years," said Ruby, "I might be rusty. I can't let what happened last time – what happened to Peter – happen to anyone else."

"What about your red hood?" asked David, "That could keep you from turning."

"If I had it. I've looked everywhere. I even went to Gold. It's not in town. I don't think it came over with the curse."

"Ruby, I know you. I trust you. Snow trusted you. Wolfstime or not, you won't hurt anyone tonight."

"Maybe. But I can't afford to take any chances." Ruby stepped into the freezer and Granny shut the door.

The next day, Granny called the Sheriff's station and told them that Ruby got out of the freezer last night. The walls and the door were covered in claw marks. David, Gwen, Fallon and Tamera headed to the woods and searched for Ruby with Granny leading the way with her crossbow, "This way. Over here." They found Ruby asleep on the ground, "Ruby. Ruby, wake up."

"Hey," said David.

Ruby was groggy and kind of out of it as she stood, "Where am I? What happened?"

"You're in the forest," said Tamera, "You must've fallen asleep here last night."

"I-I don't understand," Ruby looked at Granny, "You put me in that cage. You locked me up."

"The freezer was torn to shreds when I came to check in on you this morning," said Granny.

Ruby gasped, "Ruby. Ruby, it's alright," said David, to calm her down.

"No. It's not," said Ruby, "I don't remember anything from last night. This is exactly what I was afraid of. Oh my God. Did I do something last night?"

"Ruby, all we know for sure is that you broke out and ran through the woods," said Fallon, "There's no reason to assume the worst."

Just then David's phone started to vibrate, he took it out of his pocket and answered it, "Sheriff… Yeah… Okay… We'll be right there." Then, he ended the call.

"What is it, David?" asked Gwen.

"Somebody left their car double-parked in front of the cannery. We've got to go check it out on our way back into town," then he looked at Ruby who was still shaken up, "Hey. Relax. Everything's going to be okay."

Tamera and Fallon went back to the Sheriff's station while David, Gwen, Ruby and Granny arrived at the cannery, in the patrol car.

"That's Billy's truck," said Ruby, as they got out of the car

"Great," said David, "Who do I call to tow a tow truck?"

Gwen looked over at Ruby. She could tell Ruby was smelling something, "What is it, Ruby? What's wrong?"

"I smell blood." They started to look around.

David looked in the tow truck, "Where's Billy?"

"Here," said Granny, who was at the front of the truck. He walked up and saw Billy's torso underneath the truck. Just then they heard Ruby scream.

They all ran over to Ruby and saw Billy's lower half sticking out of a dumpster, "It was the wolf! It was me!" shouted Ruby.

PGJR

While Granny coverd Billy's body, David, Gwen and Ruby talked near the patrol car. "It had to be something else, Ruby," said Gwen.

"No, I did this! We all know it," said Ruby.

"No," said David, "A few months ago, everyone thought Mary Margaret was guilty of murder. She needed someone to believe in her. I didn't do that. I am not going to make the same mistake with you!"

"Mary Margaret never killed anyone. I have."

"I know who you really are, Ruby. Even if you've lost sight of it."

"It doesn't change the fact that I am going to turn again tonight, and somebody else could get hurt."

"Maybe this isn't the place to have this discussion," said Granny, as she noticed a crowd starting to form.

"It's okay. I'll protect her," said David, as he started to move to talk to the crowd.

"No! Lock me up," said Ruby, "If the freezer couldn't hold me, maybe a jail cell will. I don't need to be protected from other people, David. Other people need to be protected from me."

Reluctantly, David and Gwen took Ruby to the sheriff's station and chained her to the bars of the cell, "You'll be safe in here tonight," said David, as he closed the door

"Thank you, David," said Ruby.

"Thank me in the morning. By then, we'll have found whoever really killed Billy."

Just then Albert walked in, "You already have. That thing. That she-wolf."

"Get out," said David, as he walked up to Albert, "Whatever issues you have with Gwen and me, don't involve her. There's no proof Ruby had anything to do with what happened."

"It seems to me, that you're allowing your emotions to cloud your judgment."

"Leave him alone," said Ruby.

"Protecting your friend at the peril of everyone else. I knew you'd slip up, shepherd. It was only a matter of time."

"What do you want?" asked Gwen.

"Justice," said Albert, "Hand that over to me, and let the town decide her fate."

"Never," said David, "I know exactly what kind of justice you have in mind."

"This town is bigger than you think. I start telling people that you three are putting their lives in danger to protect your own interests? You'll have a mutiny on your hands."

"Yeah, we'll see," said David, "You want her, you have to go through me."

"And me," said Gwen.

"And me," said Fallon.

"And me," said Tamera.

Albert looked at the four of them and smiled slightly, "I look forward to that." Then he walked away.

The four of them looked at each other, "Now what?" asked Tamera, "Knowing the people in this town, it won't take long for him to whip them up in a frenzy."

"We can't keep Ruby here now, that's for sure," said Fallon.

"I've got an idea," said Gwen. She walked over to her desk and picked up the phone. She dialed a number and a few moments later she said, "Hey, Belle. It's Gwen... I need a favor..."

They took Ruby to the library and they got some heavy chains to chain her to some large pipes. Ruby looked them over and said to Granny, "These should work."

"Thanks for letting her hide here," said David, as Belle and David walked over to the others, "The Sheriff's station isn't safe."

"Of course," said Belle, "It's, uh… It's not every day you find out your friend's-"

"A monster?" Ruby finished.

"Hunted. I was going to say hunted."

"The crowd's six blocks from here," said Granny.

"You… You have wolf hearing, too?" asked Belle.

"It's not all it's cracked up to be, especially when you run a hotel."

"The only way we're going to get the mob to stand down, is if we prove Ruby had nothing to do with Billy's death," said Gwen.

Just then David got an idea, he looked at Granny, "I'm going to need your help." He looked at Belle, "If the mob comes this way, call us. Come on." Then Granny, David, Gwen, Tamera and Fallon left.

David, Gwen, Tamera, Fallon and Granny were on Main Street as Granny sniffed Billy's jacket, "This way," said Granny. Then she led them to a parked car, "The trunk."

David popped the trunk with a lock pick. The trunk looked empty but then David lifted the cover over the spare tire compartment and inside was Ruby's hood and a hatchet with blood on it, "A wolf didn't kill Billy," said David.

"Ruby's hood," said Granny.

"They took it so she'd be forced to change back into a wolf," said Gwen, "then whoever killed Billy could pin the murder on her."

"Who would want to hurt my Ruby?"

Fallon grabbed a crowbar out of the trunk. She tried the driver's side door and found it locked. She took the crowbar and smashed out the window. Then he unlocked the door and went inside. He opened up the glove box and took out the registration, "This isn't about Ruby," said Fallon, as she handed it to David, "It's about you and Gwen."

"What?" said Gwen, as David took the registration.

David looked at the name on the registration, "Spencer."

"King George?" asked Granny.

"He needed a reason to wrestle power away from us, so he created one," said Gwen.

Just then, they heard howling in the distance, "She's out."

"The mob," said Tamera, "They're going to kill her." Then they started to run to the library.

They found Albert and the mob to ally near the library. Ruby was in her wolf form hiding behind a dumpster. Albert stepped forward and drew his gun to shoot her but before he could fire. Granny shot the gun out of his hand with her crossbow, "The next one goes between your eyes!" she shouted.

"Ruby!" called David, he was holding Ruby's hood as he and his deputies walked through the mob.

"Listen to me!" said David, as they reached Albert, "Ruby didn't kill Billy. He did," as he pointed to Albert.

"He stole her cloak, and killed Billy in cold blood to make it look like a wolf," said Gwen, "All to get you to think we weren't leading this town as we should."

The wolf growled and the mob to start to move forward, "Stop!" said Tamera, "Somebody already died because of what this man did. Let's not spill more blood."

"She won't hurt anyone. She's just scared," said David. He and Gwen slowly moved to where Ruby was hiding.

"Ruby?" called Gwen, "WE know you're in there, so listen to us. It was Spencer, not you."

"Don't let him trick you into thinking you're a monster," said David. The wolf growled, "Alright, alright. Poor… Poor choice of words."

"Please. Ruby," said Gwen, "We know you. We know the real you, and we know you can control the wolf."

The wolf continued to growl as David and Gwen continued to step forward. "Ruby," said David, "Ruby? Ruby." They were just inches away from Ruby, "It's me – David." The wolf stopped growling and obediently sat. David quickly threw the hood over Ruby, transforming her back into a human.

"You saved me," said Ruby.

"No. You saved yourself," said Gwen, "We just reminded you of what you already knew." There was a commotion amongst the crowd.

They ran over and found Granny, Fallon and Tamera on the ground. Tamera and Fallon were standing up and David helped up Granny, "What happened? Where's Spencer?" asked David.

"He's gone," said Granny.

"Tamera, Fallon, stay here," said Gwen.

David, Gwen and Ruby ran to the patrol car and took off to find Albert. They found him on the beach standing next to a fire, "You think you can hide from a wolf?" asked Ruby.

"I wasn't trying to hide," said Albert, as he kept looking at the fire

"You killed an innocent man," said Gwen.

"He was a mouse."

"He was better than you'll ever be," said Ruby.

"You want to make a deal?" asked David, "It's not going to happen."

"I'm not interested in making a deal. I just want to see the look on your face when you realize something," said Albert. Then he turned to face them

"And what's that?"

"That you're never going to see your wife, or your daughter again."

"What are you talking about?" asked Gwen.

"You really should be more cautious with something so valuable." Albert pulled out Jefferson's hat and threw it into the fire.

"No!" shouted David, as he rushed up to the fire. He wanted to pull the hat out but the fire was very hot and the hat burned quickly.

"It doesn't matter how much fairy dust you gather, or how much you rally the town behind you. Your family's gone," said Albert.

David stood up and punched him in the face. Knocking him to the ground. Then he drew his gun and pointed it at the man.

"David, don't," said Gwen.

"I told you – you should've killed me when you had the chance," said Albert.

David wanted to kill him. But, he couldn't. Snow wouldn't want it that way. He lowered his arm and turned to look at the fire. He fell to his knees. Gwen knelt next to him and comforted her brother.

A short time later, David, Gwen and Ruby were back at the loft and watching Henry sleep, "He may never see his mother or grandmother again. How are we going to break that news to him?" asked Gwen.

"You won't have to," said Ruby.

"Travel between worlds is as hard as it comes," said David, "Fairy dust on its own isn't enough. It took an entire curse to get us here in the first place. Without the hat…"

"You two'll find another way," said Ruby.

"You don't know that," said Gwen.

"But I know you two," said Ruby, "And I know you two'll never give up until you do," said Ruby.

Ruby, Gwen and David hugged and then David said, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," said Ruby, then she turned to leave, "Oh, could one of you give Granny a call?"

"Sure," said Gwen, as they followed her to the door, "Why? What for?"

"I may have left Belle chained up in the library. Somebody should probably…"

"Unchain her?" asked David.

"Yeah," said Ruby.

"Yeah, we'll take care of it," said Gwen.

"Thanks."

"Where are you going?" asked David.

"I've still got a few hours of Wolfstime left," said Ruby, "You helped me regain control. I want to do something I haven't done in a very long time."

"What's that?"

Ruby handed David her hood, "Run," said she said. Then, she ran out of the door and down the stairs. The two of them smiled as they heard a howl outside.

AN: If you like this story, Favorite and Follow. Also, give me a Review and let me know what you think of this. It gives me motivation to keep going.