Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time or it's Characters, they belong to their respective owners. I do, however, own Storm and her alter ego as well as Striker and his alter ego and their story line. This has come from the haunted, depraved, tortured darkness that is my mind.

tigger64: Maybe, maybe not but I guarantee that she'll remember everything by the end of this story.

shippolove844: My muse is very sporadic right now so it's coming and going but hopefully it will be here to stay soon.

Opera123: Next chapter is here!

electrogirl88: Aw thank you, update is here and more will be along soon.

Infection

=Ms. Star's P.O.V=

I settled onto my bed, book in hand and a thick blanket around my shoulders, Gunner was safely munching away on his mountain of hay in his paddock with a nice warm blanket on. I shifted tugging my blankets tighter around me and opened the book intent on reading until I couldn't keep my eyes open.

I exhaled slowly and smiled at Nathaniel who returned the smile with his own, he hands shook in mine as we stood facing each other, the entire courtyard around us filled with people, most of whom we didn't know, they were mostly just people that had been invited to watch our happy day.

I pushed the ill thoughts to the back of my mind and tightened my hold on Nathaniel's hands. He isn't right, this day will be happy, it will be our happy day and it will go smoothly. I swallowed roughly and let my eyes rake over Nathaniel before the priest began the beginning of the ceremony.

"Do you Nathaniel promise to take this woman to be your wife and love her for all eternity?"

Nathaniel's lips curved in a smile, his Emerald eyes shining bright. "I do"

"And do you Storm promise to take this man to be your husband and love him for all eternity?"

"I..." I was cut off by a fierce battle cry; the courtyard where we were stood filled with bandits at the drop of a hat. No, this will not happen, not today, he couldn't have been right. Time seemed to slow as Nathaniel fell out the corner of my eyes, an arrow protruding from his chest from one of the nearest archers.

I turned and fell to my knees beside him and grasped my hand around his squeezing it tightly. "You must survive, you must"

A choke slipped from his throat as he tried to speak, blood bubbling between his lips as he tried to speak, his breathing beginning to come out in short ragged breaths.

I grasped his hand tightly again and looked at the white dress that was beginning to stain pink and slowly turn darker as more of his blood soaked into it. I stayed with him until blank lifeless eyes stared back at me, his ragged breathing ceasing.

I placed his hands over his chest and placed a kiss to his forehead before I slowly stood drawing the well used sword from the sheath around his waist, its blue tassel had only just managed to escape the pool of wet blood growing underneath Nathaniel.

I pushed myself up to unsteady legs and gripped the handle of his sword, part of me was thankful for all the time Nathaniel and I had spent in his off time together, he'd taught me to wield the heavy sword like a true warrior. Only a true warrior should wield a sword, only those worthy of their might should wield them, every swing must count towards something, it should count towards your foes death. His words still rang as clear as day through my head. I will make every swing count my love. I cast one last look towards the empty shell that was his body and then turned my attention back to the various bandits in the courtyard.

I stood steeling myself and slowly started towards the one that had fired the arrow. I swung hard, the blade slicing through his torso causing him to double over dropping his bow. I started towards the next one and swung, the blade's clashing against each other as he turned, I winced as the bandit opposite me took another swing, the blade ripping through the front of my dress leaving a deep bloody wound below my ribs.

I stumbled back a step and let the sword sag before a spike of anger overpowered me, I twisted blocking the sword aimed for my neck and twisted again blocking another sword aim for my torso before pushing back hard and delivering a killing blow to the bandits chest as he stumbled backwards. I spun slightly and ducked low to avoid the swipe from behind before I swung out, the tip of the blade ripping through an exposed throat.

My hands shook with the blood racing through my veins, the pain and anger had numbed everything, I couldn't feel anything, I couldn't even bring myself to cry.

I let the sword drop from my hands as I looked around at the bloodshed and death that was supposed to be a happy occasion, that was supposed to be our day. I turned away and started indoors, the maids rushing round me in a flurry. "Leave me be" I snapped.

"But Ma'am you're injured"

"Then send a healer to my chambers" I snarled before ascending the stairs towards my chambers, the very same ones that over looked the courtyard.

I shot up right, my book falling to the floor with a dull thud as it hit the carpet. I reached up slowly and whisked away the tear from my eye before looking at it on my fingertips, a thick heavy wave of sadness following soon afterwards as more vision began to dance in front my eyes, their words echoing in my head as it began to ache dully.

I stood leaning against the side of the windowsill watching various guards and servants cleaning up the courtyard, several servants were busy scrubbing on their hands and knees with soapy water at the spot where both Nathaniel and I had stood during the morning, midday now beginning to set in.

I glared lightly at the door as it opened, a meek young new maid popping her head around the door. "What?"

"There's a man here who requests your presences" She said softly, eyes flitting everywhere but mine.

"I am not seeing anyone today," I bit out in a clipped tone. "I wish to be alone"

Her eyes widened slightly at my tone and she nodded quickly pulling her head back out the door, I stood silently listening to the voices outside the door. "Sir you can't go in there she doesn't want to see anyone"

I narrowed my eyes at Rumpelstiltskin as he pushed the door open and allowed himself in, the maid rushing in after him.

"I'm so sorry ma'am, he just burst in I couldn't stop him, I..." She stopped as I raised my hand to silence her.

"It's fine, leave us"

She looked between us and nodded quickly retreating out the door pulling it shut behind her.

"My, my, dearie, you are a sight aren't you?" His lips curved in a crooked grin. "This morning was most eventful for you wasn't it?"

"What the hell do you want me to say? You were right?" I spat and turned away from him. "Well you were right"

"I didn't come in here to gloat dearie as much as I love to do that," His face changed to a mock look of fear. "I fear you may take out all that pent up aggression on little old me"

I narrowed my eyes at the courtyard, venom running through my veins as I turned towards him just in time to catch his eyes drifting over the simple off white peasant dress I'd slipped into after the healer had stitched and bandaged my torso.

I swallowed roughly at the sudden ache and painful tightness in my chest; I'd stayed my tears so far and had no plans on crying in front of Rumpelstiltskin. "I was stupid, a damned fool, I should have listened to you," I let the despair sink into my voice as I lowered it. "I should have listened" A sudden surge of anger flowed through my veins and I curled my fingers into a fist and laid a hard, heavy hit to the stone work of the wall, pain biting through my arm and through my torso as my muscles clenched hard at the sharp jab of fiery pain.

"Now, now dearie," Rumpelstiltskin started forward and placed a calloused hand to my shoulder tugging on it slightly forcing me to turn towards him. "It's not your fault, his time would have come whether you postponed your vows or not"

I glanced back towards the courtyard and turned away from it again lowering my head. "Leave me," I started towards the porcelain wash bowl. "I need to wash off this blood" I murmured picking out a few bits of stone from my knuckles.

"Here," His tone had changed, it was gentle, as he began to pour out water into the bowl and took my hands submerging them completely, the water stinging as it filled my wounds and slowly began to turn a rose pink colour. "I haven't seen you shed a single tear yet dearie, something you wish to tell me?" He asked glancing towards me with a slightly amused look as he ran the cloth over my hands carefully washing away the blood.

"I will grieve when I am alone, when there is no one to disturb me," I bit out lightly and watched as he dried the wounds of carefully. "Thank you for this"

"No need to thank me little Songbird," His eyes shifted from our hands to the laces of my dress and then finally up to my face, his head tilted in confusion as he looked towards me. "I have some business in the town that requires my attention" His voice came out a bit strained before he tried to clear his throat.

I nodded lightly and pulled away from him. "Until later Rumpelstiltskin" I settled at my desk with a small pottle of salve and began to apply it to my raw broken skin.

I shuddered and felt coldness seep into my skin as my blanket slipped down my shoulders. "This is getting far too strange, far, far too strange now" I felt the scar across my side under my ribs begin to ache dully and lifted my shirt to look at it before running my finger slowly along it.

I flopped back on my bed and sighed heavily suddenly exhausted by everything running through my mind, I turned onto my side and looked towards the clock, it's neon numbers lighting up the room slightly. I closed my eyes sighing heavily and tugged my blankets closer as I attempted to sleep.

Another one down and more to come soon.