Psychotic | OUAT

Chapter 23 - "Trust me, you're not the only one."

The first thing Atarah felt was an ache in her head, and then one throughout her body followed. She opened her eyes and blinked in confusion as she looked around the empty shop she was in. Across the way a shelf had been broken and slowly memories of what happened began to come back.

She remembered Rumplestiltskin blowing some sort of powder in her face and then everything went blank. Though it was clear that he had knocked her out. "What a dick!" Atarah muttered to herself bitterly as she rubbed her head.

Slowly, Atarah stood from the floor against her aching body's wishes. Once she was finally on her feet, she wavered a little and she clutched the edge of the desk to catch herself, she stayed there for a few seconds before she began to head towards the exit of the shop to go see what was happening. And what was going on.

Finally, Atarah left the shop, and as she did she spied a bright light in the middle of everything, and everyone in front of Rumplestiltskin's shop. She furrowed her brows as she leant against the doorway to the shop as everyone glowed red and they moved. She watched in confusion as Belle began to sob as she dropped to her knees.

It was then that she realised what had happened, and who was missing. Both Peter and Rumplestiltskin were missing, meaning something bad had happened.

They were dead.

Atarah stood there for a moment as she stared at where the bright light once was - she saw a scroll there instead. She refused to cry, especially in front of all these people. She let out a small sigh, as her brother looked up at saw her. "Atarah-"

A few people walked forwards to go towards her, but with a wave of her hand every single one of them was thrown backwards and away from her. "Stay away from me." She snapped at them all quickly. "I mean it!" She then began to walk away from them all.

Besides, she had to warn the others that a curse was headed there way, because killing Peter wouldn't have stopped it. She knew that for a fact, and because she could still feel it.

She got so far when Leroy began to run towards her. "It's here!" He yelled loudly. "The curse, it's here!" He ran past her and ran towards the others and a strong wind began to blow around her, there was storm.

However, Edmund and a small collection of the others were headed towards her. "There's a curse, and it's coming!" Edmund told her and she ran her hands through her dark hair.

"I know." She whispered. "I know."

"Then...what is going to happen?" Caspian questioned her.

Atarah refrained from crying in front of them all, and looked at them. "To find that out you'll have to find the others and ask them." She told him. "I can't be by them...they just killed the man I loved. So, forgive me for being so...unhelpful."

Edmund was the closest to her and pulled her into a hug, ignoring her protests and she eventually gave in and hugged him back as she rested her head on his shoulder and she began to softly cry. Edmund stroked the back of her hair and whispered soothing and comforting things to her.

The others went to find the towns people as Caspian, Lucy and Edmund stayed with her. "Thank you, Ed." She sniffled softly before she pulled away, and he nodded softly.

At that moment, Judas rounded the corner and headed towards the four of them. He stopped beside them all and began to pant, and Lucy looked towards him in worry. "Are you...okay?" She asked him in mild worry.

"Yes, I just, I've found the plan out." He explained. "Regina is going to destroy the curse. But in doing so, we'll all be sent back to the Enchanted Forest, and it'll be like Storeybrooke never existed to anyone who's not sent back."