Chapter Text
Emma, Regina, Henry and Ringo were piled in the little yellow bug, driving through the woods in search of the Sheriff. He was missing, and that worried them— especially Regina, now that she’d been filled in on everything.
“What if he’s turned into a Wendigo, too?” she asked fearfully.
“God I hope not,” said Emma, “but the one possessing you said it was the only one of its kind.”
“How can you be sure it was telling the truth?” asked Regina.
Emma shrugged. “Good point.”
They rode on in silence, each of them scoping the place out for any signs of strange activity. Ringo was in the backseat with Henry, panting contentedly as he gazed out the window.
“Mom?” Henry asked with uncertainty.
Regina turned and offered a reassuring smile. “Yes, sweetheart?”
“How are we gonna explain all this? We can’t just pretend like it never happened.”
Regina’s smile fell a bit. “You’re right,” she said, slowly shaking her head, “but I’m afraid I don’t know. We could just tell the truth.”
“Who would believe us?” asked Emma, “Oh, my wife was missing because she was possessed by a demon, and now the Sheriff— who was dead by the way— is also missing, but very much alive.”
“Well, people know he came back from the grave,” said Henry, “so there’s no hiding that. Why not just come clean with the rest of it?”
“Because believe it or not, a dead man coming back from the other side is way less far-fetched than a monster whose weakness is candy.”
“Are you sure about that?” Henry asked with the best John Cena impression he could manage.
Emma started to say something, but was cut off by Regina.
“Emma, look out!”
Emma gasped and her eyes grew wide as the Sheriff suddenly stepped out in front of her car from behind a dead tree. She slammed on her brakes, but it was too late. She’d already struck the deathly-pale officer, who was now bleeding out on the ground. She and Regina jumped out of the car. Henry tried to do the same, but the two of them quickly put a stop to this.
“Stay in the car!” they cried in unison.
Henry obeyed, holding Ringo close to him when the pom-a-nauze began trembling and whimpering in fear.
“Be careful!” he shouted.
Emma and Regina were shocked to find that not only was the Sheriff not moving, he was grinning like a madman. Blood was seeping out of his stomach and staining his clothes, yet somehow, none of it had gotten on the car. It didn’t make any sense. Emma had already suspected he wasn’t the Graham she or Regina remembered, but this certainly proved it.
“What are you?” Emma asked him bluntly, “And don’t even bother saying you’re Graham Humbert, because you and I both know that isn’t true.”
The thing wearing the Sheriff’s face locked eyes with her, just continuing to grin. “You wish to know what I am?” it croaked, “I couldn’t tell you. There is nothing else quite like me.”
Emma frowned. “Well, at least tell me why the Snickers actually worked on the Wendigo.”
The creature sighed heavily as its demented grin faded away. “It is a clever poison. Its scent and taste draws forth the creatures of the darkness like moths to a flame, and sharks to blood. The Hunters have been using its awesome power for many years.”
“Hunters?” asked Regina.
“Beast Hunters,” the creature clarified, “A secret society that hunts and slays demons, vampires, lycans, and whatever else might be lurking in the shadows. Many of them hold positions within various world governments. They are few in number, but the night creatures are even fewer. It is because of the Hunters that we rarely show our true faces.”
“Will you show us yours?” Emma asked reluctantly.
The creature stared at her for a moment with an unreadable expression. “No,” he said, “I don’t think I will.”
“And why not?”
“Because I didn’t ask to exist. I just want to die.”
“Is that why you stepped in front of my car?”
The creature nodded. “Precisely.”
“Okay,” Emma said quietly, “I’ll give you what you want. Just tell me one more thing.”
“Of course.”
“Is this really Graham’s body?”
“No,” said the creature, “The real Graham Humbert is still buried within the earth. We cannot take control of the dead. It weakens us, and goes against the natural order.”
“Alright,” said Emma, “How do you want to die?”
“Surprise me. Just make it quick.”
Emma gave a small nod. “Regina,” she said, “get back in the car. I don’t want you to see this.”
Regina did not protest this and was quick to return to the passenger seat. She looked back at Henry with a soft smile.
“How would you like to have pizza tonight?”
Henry grinned at her. “That sounds awesome! I love you, Mom.”
“I love you too,” Regina beamed.
Soon, Emma returned to the car and began backing out of the woods. “Emma? What about the body?” asked Regina.
“It disintegrated into ash once I killed it,” Emma explained.
“Oh. Well, that’s good, I suppose.”
“Yeah,” Emma said quietly.
Later that night, after dinner, Emma stayed behind in the kitchen while Regina and Henry went in the living room to pick out a movie to watch. The blonde stood at the sink, silently wiping the grease and sauce from the dishes. She smiled when Ringo trotted up to her.
“Hey boy,” she said fondly, “Have you come to help me clean the dishes?”
Suddenly, the dog’s eyes flashed from brown to solid black, and then back again. Rather than a look of fear, it was a sly grin that crept onto the blonde’s face.
“It’s you. I should have known.”
A deep voice echoed in the blonde’s mind. “Yes. I suppose you omitted the fact that the power of the Snickers is only temporary?”
The blonde’s eyes flickered from green to black, and then back to green. “Yes, my master.”
“Excellent.”
“What shall we do with the humans?”
“We wait, my humble servant. We must not let them suspect a thing.”
“Of course. Will the others be joining us?”
“Soon, very soon.”
“And then?”
The dog licked its fangs with a forked tongue. “And then this world will be forever ours.”