4.30 The Search

Quinn walked into the house marveling at the lax security. No matter security would just have slowed her down. She had no time to waste. She followed the hushed voices up the stairs where the family was huddled around multiple bodies in a comatose condition. She could see the worry in each line on the poor family huddled around them.

She clapped her hands loudly in the confines of the makeshift hospital ward. Several heads jerked upwards "what are you doing in here?" a gruff voice demanded.

Eyeing the wary werewolf Quinn laughed "the door was open." She shrugged "I was able to walk right in" raising an eyebrow she glared at him "your security is atrocious." She turned her back on the irate man.

Ignoring the deep grumbling growl she approached Adam "I've come to offer my assistance."

He gave her a cold calculating stare. One that he had mastered during the years of ruling over Moonlight Falls. He recognized the woman who had saved him and Keenan from Silver. That alone made her a reliable source of help. "What can you do that the doctors haven't done already?"

"Oh I'm no doctor" she shook her head "medicine can't help. You need to destroy the object the wandler is attached too."

Adam's eyes narrowed "wandler? Is that what's causing this?" Anger made his even tones vibrate.

"Yes" Quinn nodded towards the bumble "she recognized it's presence before I did. It's an ancient dark fae. It's mistress to the darkness. The more people who fall victim to  this enchanted sleep the stronger the darkness becomes."

Turning to the young woman Adam's eyes softened "is what she saying true?" He needed verification before he blindly followed anyone no matter his instinctual trust.

"Yes my Lord" the girl stood from her seated position beside Tommy's silent inert body "my father came to warn me. To beg for my help. My mother had fallen into an enchanted sleep in an attempt to help a little girl being tormented by a wandler." She gave Quinn a sideways glance "I was told to look for an object the child loved. Destroy it. It's the only way to break the hold the wandler has on the child."

"Do you believe me now?" Quinn challenged.

Adam inclined his head in a barely perceptible nod. He could not give the appearance of weakness especially not by this woman who had humiliated his senior guard. "What do you propose we do?"

"We need the object the wandler is attached to" Quinn repeated "I don't suppose any of you know what that might be?" Her eyes swept over the room halting on Everett. She felt a prickling of sympathy for the young father. Shaking her head she sternly told herself now was not the time to get caught up in feelings.

Laying Kimberly's hand gently on top of her stomach Everett stood. Swaying slightly once he gained his feet he said "Phoebe had a doll she loved. She never went to bed without it until recently." He leaned heavily on the back of the chair "I...haven't seen it in quite a while."

Beverly quickly moved to help the young man who appeared about to fall over. With her help she convinced the distraught young man to lie down before he fell over.

Relieved for the moment Adam turned his attention to Quinn. "If we find this doll what do we do with it? Can we destroy it?"

"I doubt if you can destroy it on your own" she mused a moment her brows knitting together "the wandler's power may have grown to strong."

"Then what?" he demanded.

"You find it" Quinn said firmly "I'll destroy it."

Adam nodded despite his vague uneasiness over accepting her help. "How do we find it?" he asked addressing everyone in the room.

"The easiest way would be to ask the girl" Lydia said looking towards Velvet who nodded in agreement.

"We would except" Peter heaved a loud sigh "we haven't been able to wake her."

Heath let out a loud moan as if he were in pain Don quickly put an arm around him "it's going to be alright?"

"No it's not" Heath shook his head. Turning he faced the strange woman "can you put me inside with them?"

Don made an audible gasp "Heath they're asleep. They're not anywhere."

"No you're wrong" Lydia protested "it's like a totally new world. It's where the darkness dwells."

Heath swallowed "you know I have to do this" he said looking Don straight in the eyes "I've already been slipping further and further into that realm each time I fall asleep. If it weren't for the stimulants the doctor has been giving me I might have already slipped into an enchanted sleep."

"I don't like it" Don mumbled knowing he wouldn't be able to talk Heath out of it.

"Is there a way I can go in. Contact Phoebe. Then come out?" Heath asked.

Quinn smiled towards him. She liked the timid man. Hidden deep within him was an iron will. Something that hadn't been tapped into often. "I think we can arrange something. A code word to let someone out here know when your ready to come out."

***

Tommy stirred on the hard dirty floor. Every movement sent excruciating pain throughout his body. 

Breathing was like a hundred tiny knife pricks. He shivered anticipating the hideous laughter that had haunted his dreams.

"Take it easy" Keenan advised as his companion started to moan.

"Kee-nan" Tommy mumbled finding his mouth had a difficult time forming the name "what hap-pen-ed?"

"I'm not..." Keenan paused "sure. The last thing I remember was following Lydia into her dreamscape. Then waking up here."

"Have you seen it?" Tommy asked shivering.

"Seen what?" Keenan asked confused.

"The wandler" Tommy said struggling to sit up.

Keenan gave him a hand up "you should rest."

"We need to find a way out" he contradicted.

Shrugging Keenan let his friend stumble around the cage they were locked in. There was no way out. He'd had hours to inspect his prison while Tommy lay unconscious on the floor.

"It's useless" Tommy moaned despair evident in his voice "there's no way we're getting out without help."

Keenan refrained from saying I told you so. If he were in Tommy's shoes he'd have to investigate his cage too for escape routes. "Sit down before you fall down" he patted the ground beside him raising a small dust cloud. Keenan watched as Tommy lowered himself gingerly to the floor placing his head between his knees. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Besides having my life sucked from my body?" Tommy asked without lifting his head "what else could be wrong?"

Keenan gave him an appraising look "Tommy we've been friends for a while. I know when somethings bothering you."

Tommy lifted pain filled eyes towards Keenan "yeah you're my best friend. Always giving me shit."

"That's right" Keenan nodded closing his eyes. He knew if he appeared to be too interested in his friends problems Tommy would shut him out. He knew it was a hold over from his overbearing mother who demanded to know everything in her children's lives. He'd overheard more than one phone call with Tommy all but throwing his phone against the wall.

Running his hands over his face and into his hair he groaned "its Velvet."

"What about her?" Keenan asked trying to keep a neutral tone. What if they broke up? That would put a strain on his relationship with Lydia. She and Velvet were good friends besides being roommates. 

"She she betrayed me" Tommy mumbled.

"She wouldn't do that" Keenan exclaimed "you know she wouldn't."

"I...I heard her" Tommy moaned leaning his head back "she begged me to forgive her."

"There has to be another reason" Keenan insisted "Velvet wouldn't do that. She loves you," Keenan insisted.

"That's what I wanted to believe too" Tommy's voice was low deflated.

The sound of someone clapping behind them had both boys struggling to their feet. Keenan reached over to steady Tommy who tried to push his hands away. "I so enjoy new toys" she clapped enthusiastically "I didn't expect such a gift from my Lord" she licked her lips while looking Keenan over from head to toe.

"I'm nobody's toy" Keenan growled reaching through the bars towards the woman.

"Pity I'll have to drain you of all that fight" she pursed her lips moving closer careful to stay out of reach of his hands "such delicious power."

Keenan grunted as his body stiffened as he fell to the floor in convulsions. Dimly he was aware of someone screaming for her to stop. Then nothing. Nothing but darkness.

***

Kimberly tugged on the fae's hand "we have to go."

"Go where?" the older woman asked.

"They're in pain" she cried "my Uncle and his friend have been captured by the wandler."

The fae nodded her small wings fluttered in agitation "alright we'll go but that means we'll leave the little ones vulnerable."

"I know" Kimberly took a deep breath "Phoebe is stronger than she appears for her age. Owen will protect her."

"He's just a boy" the bumble pointed out.

"It can't be helped" Kimberly said turning away "my Uncle is in trouble. I have to trust Phoebe can fend for herself for a little while on her own."

Saffron nodded her lips thin with disapproval. When the girl moved off she followed trusting the woman knew her daughter well enough. Stopping outside a building deep within the darkness "this is the wandler's lair."

"This is where I sense my Uncle" Kimberly acknowledged.

The bumble stepped aside. She knew by now to trust the girls ability to connect with her family.

"Stop" Kimberly demanded upon sight of her Uncle writhing in pain on the floor.

"Make me" the wandler challenged turning from her prey.

"She can't but I can" Saffron said confident in her ability to draw the dark fae's attention to herself and away from the boys.

"You're pathetic" the wandler sneered.

"Perhaps" the bumble shrugged blowing pixie dust into the wandler's face.

"My eyes" the creature cried swiping frantically at her eyes.

"Now who is the pathetic one?" Saffron asked stepping around the huddled creature.

"You'll pay for this" the woman scowled eyes red, swollen and watering "I met your daughter."

The older fae stepped forward "leave her alone..."

Pointing towards Tommy who was leaning heavily against Kimberly for support "that weakling is her mate."

The bumbles eyes widened "Velvet always did have exotic taste. It's one of the reasons she left her clan."

Tommy lifted his head staring at her. That was Velvet's mother. She sounded so proud of her daughter. "She thought you were disappointed in her when she left."

Momentarily distracted Saffron locked eyes with Tommy "I always knew my daughter wasn't cut out for life in our small clan. Much too adventurous and curious of the world around her."

"How sweet" the wandler sneered "the doting boyfriend and proud mama."

Keenan put a hand out to restrain his friend "you can't talk about her like that."

"Can't I?" she asked wide eyed "she's the one who betrayed you. Not me."

"She didn't" Tommy shook off Keenan's hands almost falling to the floor.

"You're here aren't you?" the wandler smirked "she chose to save herself. Not you."

"There's no way my daughter would do that," Saffron said "unless..." she turned frightened sad eyes to Tommy.

"Unless what?" he asked heart beating fast.

"She's pregnant" Saffron said "that's the only reason she'd chose herself. She knew the baby wouldn't survive here."

"Oh god" Tommy fell into Keenan's waiting arms sobbing.

***

"The ground is getting awfully close" Phoebe cried looking towards Owen as if she expected him to do something.

"I know" he closed his eyes hoping against hope that wings would magically appear.

"It didn't work" Phoebe informed him "we're going to die aren't we?"

"Maybe that's the only way to wake up" Owen suggested.

"I heard if you die in your dreams you die in real life" Phoebe said staring at the rushing ground.

"You're not going to die" a deep voice assured her.

"Grandpa" the girl cried.

"What are you doing here" Owen demanded "it's not safe here."

"Don't worry about that" Heath assured his son "just open your arms and I'll catch you."

"You promise" Owen asked needing the assurance.

"I promise" Heath held his arms out towards the quickly descending children.

Once the kids were safely on the ground Heath hugged them both tight "I don't have much time." He kicked at the approaching tentacle "Phoebe honey what toy did the wandler take?"

"She took my dollie" she pouted "I loved her so much."

"We're trying to find her" Heath told her as a tentacle wrapped around his ankle.

"I hid her" Phoebe grabbed his hand "don't go into the darkness."

Owen stepped forward grabbing his other hand "think of rainbows and unicorns."

Heath was about to ask why when a burst of color spread around them causing the darkness to retreat. "You're very smart to have figured out the weakness of your enemy"

"We're not strong enough to maintain it for long" Owen said "we're too little."

Nodding Heath wished he could bring them back with him. He was powerless here "sweetie tell me where dollie is."

"No" she shook her head.

"Dollie isn't happy being controlled by the wandler" Heath searched for the right words to get the girl to open up to him "she wants to be free of the wandler's influence."

"You'll help her?" she asked "she'll be happy?"

"Yes honey she'll be happy without the wandler making her do bad things," he held his breath hoping his granddaughter would tell him.

Moving close to Heath she whispered in his ear. Pulling back she kissed his cheek "tell her I'm sorry I couldn't protect her."

"I will sweetheart" he sent the recall message "I love you both so much. With dollie's help you'll be home soon."

***

Adam ignored the hostile glare his chief security guard was giving him. The man's disapproval was permanently etched in the lines on the man's face. He closed his eyes blocking everything and everyone out. He needed to keep his senses up in case Heath gave him the code.

His eyes flew open breathing rapidly "he's trying to come back. He's fighting. The darkness is too strong."

Quinn moved close to him. She could sense the struggle Heath was having to ward off the darkness. Turning to Adam she demanded "concentrate on Heath's voice. Guide him back through the darkness. Be his light."

"You should not have put the esteemed one in this vulnerable position" the security guard chose that moment to resume his argument.

Shrugging Quinn turned her back on him. What did he expect Adam to do? Sit back while his family slipped further into the darkness. Taking Adam's hand she squeezed it tight. She matched her breathing to his concentrating on transferring her power to him to bring Heath home.

A loud moan filled the room as Heath opened his eyes. Don moved quickly to take his husband's hand "Heath babe it's ok. You're safe."

Eyes focused on his husband Heath smiled in relief "I almost didn't make it. The darkness has gotten so strong."

"It's alright babe" Don assured him blinking back tears "I love you."

"I love you to" Heath stirred to sit up.

"Did she tell you?" Everett asked anxiously.

Nodding Heath got up leaning heavily upon Don's shoulder "I know where it is."