When Midnight Strikes-Sequel to Rumpelstiltskin's Reign (An FTRS/RAR AU)

IX

JAX

Jax's eyes flew open. Gilly sat next to him, her eyes still dripping with tears. Impossibly, both of them were wearing the same strange outfits. But Jax knew this wasn't a dream. It was real.

"The palace." Gilly said, looking around with apprehension. "We're inside the halls."

Jax stood. She was right. It must have been near midnight, pitch black save a few torches along the walls. There were no guards in sight-a miraculous occurence. The hall was vast and long, and Jax had no idea where it lead. He turned to Gilly, hesitantly offering her his hand. She took it and stood, hastily dropping it as soon as she could. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"Fine." She brushed off her overalls. "I'll show you where to go." She seized a torch of the wall and held it in front of her, the flames turning her brown eyes gold.

Jax suppressed a strange lurch in his chest. "Where are we going?"

"To Stiltskin," she replied, marching forward.

"Gilly, we can't," Jax stammered, "We don't even have a plan-"

"Watch me." Gilly stormed forward, Jax scrambling after her.

"Gilly, we can't-"

"Fine then" she continued down the twisting pathway, walking with such clear determination that it sent Jax's head spinning. How in the world could she tell where she was going? "You can come up with the plan. You're good at that."

Jax followed her down a long stairway, trying to keep his voice as soft as his hurried steps. "I guess we're partners now, then?"

"I guess."

It felt somehow familiar, the feel of Gilly in front of him, the rush of secrecy, bantering back and forth with her. Partners in crime.

In the thick of the darkness, Jax smiled.

_________________________________________________________________

DEVIN

Devin led Heath through the halls of the castle, his footsteps racing to keep up with her. He held firmly to her right hand, gripping it like a lifeline as she pulled him along. Her head was spinning with memories spurred on by his presence, long kisses, laughter and sunlight, battles and weapons and tears. She was reassured only by the fact that Heath was clearly in a state of shock-he couldn't manage to even ask her where they were going, or even do anything but run after her in a panic. Devin's heart fluttered with the knowledge that he trusted her enough to lead him when he was in such distress. He was trying so desperately to hide his anxiety, and she loved him for it. Heath had always wanted to be her knight in shining armor, to protect her from anything that came near. But he couldn't do this. It needed to be her.

They were coming up on Olivina's door. As they reached it, Devin screeched to a halt. Heath stumbled after her. She pulled him toward her by the collar and kissed him. It was quick and desperate and full of emotion.

It could be their last. Devin wanted to make it count.

Heath broke away and held her, his eyes blazing with fire. "Devin, you can't do this. This is our chance, we can run to the forest and gone before morning-"

"Heath," Devin pressed her hands against his. They were soft against her cheek, a desperate lifeline. He was breathing hard, his pulse doubled with anxiety. "What about Raina? Logan, Sasha, Prue, and all the others? What happens to them?"

Heath stared at her, something in him teetering on the edge of a breakdown. She hated this-he was so close to a panic attack, furiously gripping for the answer. But it wasn't easy, and the only she could figure was the one he was desperately trying to avoid.

"I need to do this, Heath. And it has to be me."

His expression nearly broke her. "Devin, I can't lose you again. Not when I just found you. I can't."

She kissed him again, lifting his gaze to her own. "You can't keep protecting me, Heath."

"Do you remember Rumpelstiltskin?" he asked, fury striking a match to the tinder of his gaze. The fire was back. The old Heath, buried under years of strife and heartache, had returned. The furious determination, the mischievousness and the lighthearted love. "You said the same thing then. Look what happened. Deviniara, we have to do this together. Not just me, not just you. We can't keep up with this power play." His breaths were rough and uneven. It needs to be the both of us."

Devin stared into the flames of his eyes, matching them with her own. "Alright," she said, "but I lead."

_______________________________________________________

sorry for the short chapter guys